Coastal Angler Magazine | March 2024 | Boston Edition

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BOSTON EDITION

@CAMTAMagazine

George K. Regan, Jr. Publisher Boston Edition

Julie Kahn Executive Vice President/ Strategy, Sports & Media

Every year in Maine, I get asked about what kind of clothes I should wear?

Guiding year round always makes it difficult to plan an activity with having everyone dressed appropriately.

Here is a great opportunity to share what we believe will have you covered here in Maine! Because we cater to all ages and people who live all over our great country, clothing can be a challenge. It is by far one of the most important things you will want to be prepared for in order to be comfortable.

Continued on Boston page 1

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT. PAUL TYRE FB: @LAKESEMINOLEFISHINGADVENTURES IG: @CAPT.PAULTYREFISHING VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 348

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MARCH 2024

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KEEN SENSES

ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS

By Capt. Michael Okruhlik

I

t is always important to pay attention to our surroundings as we go through life, and fishing is no exception. How many of you have been fishing without any action and find yourself daydreaming and going through the motions until you feel the tug on your line?

Suddenly you are frantically trying to remember the cadence of your retrieve to duplicate the action, but you are dreaming of fish instead of trying to catch them.

Well, in this article and the accompanying video for The Angler Video Magazine, I will go over a specific situation when paying attention paid off, and you can see it and hear me talk through it on the video. I will also share some wisdom from two incredible Texas guides whom I was fortunate enough to spend a few hours with on the topic of targeting big trout.

While wading in knee-deep water that

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was about 61 degrees, I could see a few mullet jumping in their casual mullet way. It was enough to keep me interested in the area. The bottom had undulating depth with grass and scattered potholes, or sand pockets for those not familiar with the term. I was throwing a slowsinking soft-plastic jerkbait, letting it slowly sink between twitches where the sand and grass met.

With a cast in mid-air, I saw a mullet do an abnormal flip. It was distinct from the norm of the day and not as if it were being chased, but different, nonetheless. I burned my lure back in and made a cast just beyond where the mullet flipped. When my lure paused near the area, a nice redfish slammed my soft plastic. Had I not been paying attention and blew it off as just another mullet jumping, I would not have caught that fish and a few more in the general area.

Since we cannot always have a bird’s eye view,

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we need to utilize the birds’ eyes. Here are a few tips I picked up on during a conversation with guides. Birds do not always need to be feeding to point us to fish. There are subtle hints, such as a head turn of a gliding pelican. They don’t turn their head for no reason; they saw something.

Maybe they saw a huge trout and kept soaring because it was too big for them to eat. Also, watch the lines birds are relating too. They may not dive, bait may not flee from the shadow, but they are flying that line for a reason, and maybe you should work your way toward the area.

Pay attention on the water and in conversation with old salts. You might need to read between the lines, but the answers are there.

Capt. Michael Okruhlik is the inventor of Knockin Tail Lures®, and the owner of www.MyCoastOutdoors.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KNOCKIN TAIL LURES®.

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JACK CREVALLE: BATTLE THE BULLIES OF THE REEF

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ometimes called the “poor man’s giant trevally,” jack crevalle will strike a surface lure or bait aggressively, and once hooked, engage the angler in a slugfest they won’t soon forget. Jacks are world-class fighters.

These fish are perfect for small-boat anglers because they frequent inshore and nearshore waters. They can be caught in bays, inlets, canals and off reefs, where they target schooling baitfish.

These fish are perfect for light spinning gear or a fly rod, as they will readily take any fast-retrieved bait imitation. They frequently show up in bays and estuaries following migratory baitfish like mullet.

Strong current that concentrates bait is usually best, and you’ll find them at the mouths of the inlets on a strong outgoing tide. Any nearshore reef close to an inlet that has “nervous water” – a sure sign of bait schools—is prime territory for jacks.

A 7-foot medium-action spinning rod equipped with a 6000 sized spinning reel and spooled with 40-pound braid is a prime tool for fighting these fish. I like a fluorocarbon leader in the 50-pound range for abrasion resistance. These fish are not leader shy. Jacks school up in large groups of juvenile fish under 10 pounds. The larger 20-plus-pound fish usually hunt in pairs. While a

By Mark Ambert

5000-class rod and reel setup will handle the smaller fish, a larger setup will be better for anything over 20 pounds.

Pro-Tip: If you tangle with one of the larger fish, get a second bait or lure in the water for a double hook-up!

Live bait and chum will usually find the biggest fish. Any local seasonal bait such as herring, pilchards, sardines or mullet will do the trick. For maximum fun factor, a topwater lure or fly stripped fast can’t be beat.

I usually locate a school of feeding fish first then break out the fly or topwater spinning gear for sport.

A 9- or 10-weight fly rod setup with an intermediate line is optimal. When fly fishing, a popper, Deceiver, Clouser or any streamer pattern will work. I use flies that cast easily and in colorful patterns to attract the fish.

With spinning gear, any noisy or splashy plug such as a 3- to 4-inch Storm Chug Bug is ideal.

I also use a 4-inch Heddon Zara Spook in white with a walk-the-dog retrieve. Watching this lure get knocked out of the water and eaten is worth the

price of admission. For sub-surface action, the Rapala X-Rap size 10 in Ghost finish can’t be beat.

The initial run of a big jack is spectacular, with ever shortened runs to follow. Using lighter gear, you might have to chase bigger fish down, so be prepared to move. Once a fish is spent, I usually use a net or tail grab the fish boatside for a quick picture and safe release, as these fish have limited food quality.

Now head out your local inlet and target these plentiful and eager sluggers. They will not disappoint.

Find Mark Ambert on Instagram @marksgonefishing_™; Email: marksgonefishing25@gmail.com.

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MARCH 2024

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DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHARTER CAPTAIN?

By Capt. Quinlyn Haddon

I

went fishing while on Florida vacation about a decade ago. After returning home to Canada for two months, I drove back to pursue a career in the industry. I had zero experience, no connections, and less than half a clue on where to begin. For those with a similar dream, here’s what I learned.

First, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a weekend warrior. If you want to be a captain, be a deckhand first. You don’t know what you don’t know, and working for someone fishing the waters you plan to guide provides all kinds of information. Every fishery has its own etiquette and unspoken guidelines.

Community is crucial, and paying your dues and earning respect goes a long way. Captains communicate about fishing on the water, and often, we are each other’s first responders. This same-team mentality is nearly currency.

Beginning as a deckhand is difficult. Nobody wants to train you, yet you must be trainable. On your own time, practice skills like knot tying, bait rigging and net throwing. Veteran fishermen are usually happy to flex knowledge to those who ask for help humbly. No matter what you learn, be ready to have a captain you work for tell you it’s wrong. Adapt, and learn things their way.

The expectations of deckhands are high, and everything on board will be their fault. You are expected to arrive early, stay late, come in on days off, anticipate your captain and clients wants, and do it on minimum salary.

The biggest issue with new deckhands is they sometimes don’t show up. Finding a replacement at 6 a.m. is nearly impossible, and it affects the productivity of a charter. Being a fisherman takes a special kind of person. If can fish six days a week and still want to go out for fun on your day off, this job

may be for you. If you’re on the boat watching the clock, you won’t last long.

Showing up to the dock consistently is a great way to make connections and get work. If you can’t find work, show up an hour before local charters head out. Walk the dock and ask if anyone had a no-show deckhand. If you do this consistently and pass out your number, eventually someone will call you.

They will see you have the dedication to show up. Deckhands are also required to be on a drug consortium. Sign up and keep your paper with you.

Lastly, if you hold a captain’s license and are working as a deckhand, make sure your “captain” has one too. You do not want to be held liable for someone else’s mistakes. Protect your future in the industry.

If this is something you want to do, I highly recommend going for it. In 10 years, I have never regretted it or lost the smile it puts on my face.

Capt. Quinlyn Haddon guides with Sweet E’Nuf Charters, Marathon, Florida Keys. Captainquinlyn.com; @captainquinlyn; (504) 920-6342.

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George K. Regan, Jr. Publisher Boston Edition

Julie Kahn President, Regan Marketing & Media

Being prepared for the weather in Maine!

By Richard Yvon

Every year in Maine, I get asked about what kind of clothes I should wear? Guiding year round always makes it difficult to plan an activity with having everyone dressed appropriately.

Here is a great opportunity to share what we believe will have you covered here in Maine! Because we cater to all ages and people who live all over our great country, clothing can be a challenge.

It is by far one of the most important things you will want to be prepared for in order to be comfortable.

The number one, year round article of clothing is rain gear. By far if you have rain

gear you can enjoy the Maine and the latest technology of outdoors all year long by lay- moisture wicking material ering according to the out- with a UPF rating to boot! side ambient temperature. Layering with a good breathIn Maine, it does in fact have able rain jacket and bib can the potential to rain on your get you through nearly all parade at any time of year. weather conditions.

In fact, it is possible to get hyperthermia at any time Good foot gear is essential… of year even in summer! A It is rather difficult to have good rain jacket and bib can “one type fits all”. So we alsave your outdoor adven- ways recommend a watertures from getting damp- proof, breathable type shoe ened! Today’s rain clothing or boot that has good ankle has come a long way from support. When you venture the waxed cotton days of our out it is always a great idea mentors. Today’s material to have an extra pair of shoes is breathable, water proof, and extra breathable socks. wind proof and light weight. On hikes especially, we ofIt can be easily stored in a ten remind people to bring day pack or even a fanny along extra foot gear in their pack. Under layers can be day pack. It can save a hike polypropylene, wool, fleece and your feet! At the end of

the day a boot dryer will ensure your next days comfort and also prolong the life of your gear. Happy Trails in the outdoors!

Our favorite winter clothing for Ice Fishing has to be our Artic Armor floating ice-fishing suite! Our friends from the “Official Hook, Line and Sinker” had us try the latest technology in clothing for out on hard water. It has become my favorite warm, lightweight, breathable, wind proof and most comfortable suite ever!

Yes, it even floats!!! I hope we never have to try that feature out in icy water but it is certainly piece of mind while out fishing!

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| MARCH 2024 | BOSTON 1

EDITORIAL Sandeels

By Pete McManus

I'll never forget the smell. We had started our jour- ney through the sand over an hour before the stench hit us. I stopped dead in my tracks. "Do you smell that?!" My buddy was already freeing his lure from his bottom guide as I finished

my question. While he fired off his cast, I noticed a shimmer in the wave breaking at my feet. SANDEELS! I yelled over. Not a couple sand-eels. Not a couple hundred sandeels. Thousands of 4-7 inch sandeels are being pushed onto the

beach in the middle of a moonless cloudless night on the at- lantic side of truro.

When i received the "we should go hit truro.." text, I knew exactly what he was thinking. A Lot of walking.

A Lot of casting. And a

2 BOSTON | MARCH 2024 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

lot of explaining to do when I inevitably don't get home till 8 a.m.

No brainer. I picked him up at 10pm in Dennis, and we were trek- king through the dunes onto the sand by 11:30. Perfect timing to fish the 2 hours before and 2 hours af-

o do on't a.m. cked m in were the and timours s af-

(Continued from Page 2)

EDITORIAL (Continued from Page 2)

ter the 3 a.m high tide.

It didn't take long after the lures hit the water to hook up. I'm not sure what the exact number of fish caught was. I can't even be certain of what the best fish of the night was.

We fished that half a mile stretch of empty beach from around 1 a.m until the sun came up. The smell of fresh sand- eels and bass in the air the entire time.

No trophies were taken. Just photos. And some amazing memories of a trip to a place abandoned by the surf- casting community.

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| MARCH 2024 | BOSTON 3

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EDITORIAL Ice-Fishing in New England

By Dan Kenney

their heads for essentially three months, fish are enjoying the extra oxygen in the water caused by swollen rivers pumping in run-off and wind whipped waves which Long story short, it’s time makes a great formula for to get out on the water! catching some hogs.

That’s exactly what my good friends Aaron Orsi and An- And trust me, those hogs are drew Stidson did when they ready to binge eat! dropped their little plastic jon boat into a local lake. Of course, the weather’s nevThere were still chunks of er perfect so you need to ice floating around and they plan ahead. Apparel is critwere able to pull a half-doz- ical for dealing with condien largemouth bass in the tions that can change daily three to five pound range or even hourly. I've always and another ten under two been a proponent of layering up with proper moispounds. ture-wicking socks and unRegardless of when ice-out dergarments and fleece or time starts in your neck of wool pants and jackets. With the woods, it can be a great the kind of fabric technology experience. I’ve had incred- we have these days there are ible fishing adventures from great companies like Frogg Maine to South Dakota. Af- Toggs with products like the ter living with a roof over Pilot II Guide Jacket. The PiNever tried ice-out fishing?

Well, this is when the big fish come out to play after months of being trapped under the ice.

lot II protects you from all of the rain and wind and also comes with a zip-down liner jacket.

Most importantly, don’t get out on the water without a new and reliable PFD. With water temperatures hovering in the 30s or low 40s it literally takes minutes for you to be in major trouble or, to put it bluntly, dead.

So don't be a statistic—take the right safety measures first. Once you have your gear in order though, the ice-out world is your oyster.

Think of it like this: we’ve been adhering to the strictest diet imaginable through the winter, not being allowed to eat steak, chicken, pasta, pizza or chocolate cake for three months. Then all the sudden we're invited to a buffet of epic proportions.

And you guessed it—we’re going to eat until we get sick.

In a way, our favorite underwater friends probably feel the same way. They’ve had a tough go under ice cover but now there are dazzling morsels of food freely swimming in front of their faces.

Boom! Fish on!!

So if you haven't enjoyed ice-out fishing yet, don't let the cold stop you. Don’t wait until a perfect sunny day in June or July because you’ll miss out on some of the best fishing and the biggest fish of the year.

Instead, get out on the water and celebrate the end of winter on a pond or lake near you.

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Until then, God Bless and Go Fish! | MARCH 2024 | BOSTON 5

CATCH OF THE MONTH

N 6 BOSTON | MARCH 2024 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

Plum Island Surfcasters

Sales Representative Coastal Angler Magazine, Boston

Club Meeting: Check our website (www.plumislandsurfcasters.org) for details on upcoming events

JOB TYPE: PART-TIME REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: FISHING & SALES Coastal Angler Magazine, Boston, a company of Regan Communications Group, has an immediate opening for a Sales Representative for our Boston location.

Salisbury, MA Senior Center (behind the fire station), 43 Lafayette Rd (Route 1), Salisbury, MA 01952.

RESPONSIBILITIES: • • • • • • •

Selling all advertising (both print and web) Directing content development (for print, website and social media) Procuring and editing copy from 5-8 writers monthly Managing the layout and collaborating on graphic design Creating concept and copy for print ads Delivering and managing the distribution of 10,000 copies monthly Maintaining all vendor/client relationships

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A keen knowledge of the fishing industry.

At least two years of sales experience.

Candidate must be able to work effectively in a demanding and fast-paced environment.

Meetings at 6:45 pm | Fishing seminar at 8:00 pm Free for all club members. $5 admission for Non-members For more details contact: Ashley Boiardi aboiardi@regancomm.com 617-488-2842

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| MARCH 2024 | BOSTON 7

8 BOSTON | MARCH 2024 | COASTALANGLERMAG.COM • THEANGLERMAG.COM

18th Annual

Mother’s Day Dolphin Tournament FISH FOR A CAUSE to benefit

An Angler Tournament Angler Entry Fee is a Donation Catagories Ladies, Junior (16 and under), Weekend Warrior and Pro Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in all categories Contact Chris Todd Young at 305-797-5779 Admin@HabitatMiddleKeys.org Presented by

May 10th & 11th, 2024 Online Registration:

MothersDayDolphinTournament.com Captain’s Meeting The Island Fish Co. Friday May 10th - 6pm to 7pm

Lines In: Saturday, May 11 - 7:30am Lines Out: Saturday, May 11 - 3:30pm Weigh-In Curly’s Coffee Saturday, May 11th - 3:30pm to 6pm

Awards Banquet Marathon Yacht Club Saturday, May 11th - 7pm

Sunday Honor Our Moms Always in our Hearts JB!

TIPS FROM A PRO

ISOLATED TARGETS FOR BIG BASS

TYLER WOOLCOTT

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round the country, spring is either here or it is rapidly approaching. There is an amazing tip I want to share to improve your chances for catching big bass this time of year.

In spring, bass flood into shallower areas of any lake. Whether that be a bank, pocket or a flat shallow area, they move shallow to start their transition and get ready to do their thing.

They use any type of readily available cover to stage up and then eventually spawn. This takes a lot of the guesswork out of the search for where your next bite may come from.

What I look for is isolated cover and structure. Types of cover that I look for differentiate from state to state and lake to lake, but the general concept is always the same. The more isolated the better!

For instance, here in Florida, anything from a couple lily pads or a very small patch of vertical grass sticking up away from most of the other cover is the ideal spot for a big one to be sitting. In other areas of the country, it could be a single rock, a piece of wood or any kind of debris or cover that looks out of place. Shallow brushpiles near a spawning area that you find with your electronics are also an awesome thing to look for.

Some of my biggest spring bass have come from something so obvious that most anglers

go right past it. Fish also often replenish on these places very quickly, so don’t overlook visiting the same piece of structure multiple times in a single day. One of my favorite things to do is cast to isolated lily pads. There could be two tiny little pads out in the middle of a flat on their own, and I might catch multiple fish off the same two pads by revisiting them throughout the day.

I often pick apart these objects by dragging something slowly by or through the structure.

Typically, a wacky-rigged weightless Senko or a very lightly weighted Texas-rigged stick bait are my go-to lures. When in Southern states that have some stain to the water, I stick with darker colors like blacks and blues or junebug.

When the water is clear, I’ll go with more natural colors like a green pumpkin.

You can keep your gear pretty simple, but remember you’re fishing around structure fish can wrap you around and break you off. Use heavier line. Try stepping up your leader size to 12- to 15-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon on a spinning rod, and use 15- to 20-pound when throwing a Texas rig on a baitcaster. The 13 have fun and be safe on the water.

Fishing Defy series of rods are awesome and Tyler Woolcott is a professional tournament affordable. I use the 7’6” MH for baitcasting angler and guide. Check out his website at rods and the 7’1” MH for spinning. www.tylerwoolcottfishing.com.

Good luck out there this spring and always

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nD tea wit as par drawin Fla., is feature she pl around “I that I get a n Jeanet Christ you ag Th pound depen 16-foo on. Sh redfish be per Co Wiley in tim com, c some f

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DECEMBER GIVEAWAY WINNER ZIPPING AROUND WITH HER NEW OUTBOARD

ENTER TO WIN!

A PAIR OF WILEY X SUNGLASSES THROUGH MARCH!

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n December, Coastal Angler and Suzuki teamed up to award one lucky reader with an extra special Christmas gift as part of the magazine’s regular contest drawings. Jeanette Harkin, of Edgewater, Fla., is now the happy owner of small, but feature-rich Suzuki DF2.5 outboard, which she plans to use on the inshore fisheries around Smyrna Beach.

“I was super excited when I found out that I won, because we’ve been wanting to get a nice trolling motor for a long time,” Jeanette said. “It was an extra special Christmas present from you guys! Thank you again!!!”

The Suzuki DF 2.5 weighs just 30 pounds, and the smooth, quiet and dependable engine is a perfect fit for the 16-foot Gheenoe Jeanette plans to put it on. She goes out frequently after whitefish, redfish and blue crabs on the Intracoastal near her home, and this little rig will be perfect for zipping around on the flats and backwaters.

Coastal Angler’s current Giveaway drawing is for two pairs of awesome Wiley X sunglasses. These high-performance and stylish glasses will be just in time for all your springtime outdoor adventures. Go to Coastalanglermag. com, click the “Contest” tab, enter the drawing, and you could be sporting some free new shades on the water this spring.

To enter, go to coastalanglermag.com/contest.

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MARCH 2024

NATIONAL 11

WHERE THE SUWANNEE & STEINHATCHEE RIVERS MEET THE GULF OF MEXICO

PHOTO BY DAVID HAY JONES

GREAT FISHING!

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By CAM Staff

YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A BOAT RAMP

DIXIE COUNTY

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REDFISH TIP:

THE GARRETT REDFISH DRAG

H

ere’s a quick redfish tip from Capt. Garrett Ross, of Miss Judy Charters out of Savannah, Ga. “While using a traditional adjustable style cork, adjust depth to allow the live shrimp to sit directly on the bottom. This means that your cork will be laying completely over on its side. Now, when the cold-water redfish decides to take the bait in its mouth, you will not know until the cork stands up right and starts to make way. It is suggested to reel lightly tight and allow the circle hook to do its job of lip hooking your redfish!”

Capt. Garrett’s reasoning for the Ethan Long, 13, with a nice redfish caught effectiveness of his while fishing with Capt. Garrett Ross. technique is that a redfish has plenty of time to eat the shrimp and begin to swim away before the angler holding the rod even knows the fish is there. It might sound counterintuitive, but circle hooks have a way of coming unbuttoned when there’s an over-eager angler holding the rod.

For more from Capt. Judy Helmey, visit missjudycharters.com.

12 NATIONAL

MARCH 2024

E

very saltwater angler knows the frustration of losing their hardearned catch to sharks. With a hard thump, that big, feisty cobia or snapper stops fighting and all that’s left to haul over the rail is a head.

Those delicious fillets were donated to the taxman, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Well, it seems the U.S. Congress is at least willing to take a look at the issue of shark depredation, which is a shark hammering a fish on the line before it can be landed. The SHARKED Act is a piece of legislation working its way through Congress right now with bipartisan support. The bill is just a first step toward mitigating shark interactions with anglers, both recreational and commercial, but it’s one of those rare occasions when legislators might just come together.

According to the American Sportfishing Association, shark encounters are increasing on all U.S. coasts. The Magnuson-Stevens Act of 2007—the sweeping legislation that gave us the decades-long red snapper fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico—has been successful, maybe too successful, in rebuilding populations of many shark species that were previously reduced by fishing.

In addition to being frustrating to anglers, there is concern that sharks are negatively impacting fisheries, and there is already talk among fisheries managers of stricter regulations on anglers intended to offset or avoid shark interactions.

With support from several sportfishing and conservation organizations, the SHARKED Act unanimously passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives, and at presstime it was headed to the Senate and potentially to President Biden to be signed into law. It would direct NOAA Fisheries to develop a task force to study the issue of shark depredation.

The task force would be tasked with improving coordination and communication across the fisheries management community to identify research priorities and funding opportunities and make a plan to reduce shark/angler interactions.

We can only hope this future plan puts limitations on the taxman and not on anglers.

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Asset Marketing Services, LLC d/b/a GovMint is a retail distributor of coin and currency issues and is not affiliated with the U.S. government. The collectible coin market is unregulated, highly speculative and involves risk. Prices, facts, figures and populations deemed accurate as of the date of publication but may change significantly over time. All purchases are expressly conditioned upon your acceptance of AMS’s Terms and Conditions (www.amsi-corp.com/terms-conditions); to decline, return your purchase pursuant to our Return Policy (www.amsi-corp.com/productreturn-policy). Keeping your purchase means you agree to the Terms and Conditions. © 2024 GovMint. All rights reserved.

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GRAND LAKE TO HOST

2024 BASSMASTER CLASSIC T

he field is set, and the grandest spectacle in bass fishing will be renewed for the 54th time from March 22-24. This year’s Bassmaster Classic will be held on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, with weigh-ins and festivities in Tulsa, Okla.

Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees has more than lived up to its name. The 46,500-acre fishery provided some of the grandest moments in the history

of the event when Classics were held there in 2013 and 2016. Now the picturesque reservoir in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains will add to that grand lore when it again plays host the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing.

As with past Classics held in Tulsa, daily weigh-ins will be held at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, with the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo across the street at the Cox Business Convention Center. Daily takeoffs will be held about 90 miles away at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility on Grand Lake.

During the first Tulsa Classic in 2013, former Elite Series pro Cliff Pace of Mississippi claimed a wire-to-wire victory during a frigid event when icy precipitation tested the toughness of the 53-angler field. In 2016, local favorite Jason Christie led Days 1 and 2 and seemed poised to earn his first Classic trophy until fellow Oklahoma pro Edwin Evers caught a five-bass limit that weighed 29 pounds, 3 ounces to claim a dramatic come-frombehind win.

“The Grand River Dam Authority is excited to see the Bassmaster Classic make its return to Grand Lake in 2024,” said GRDA President and CEO Dan Sullivan. “Not only will the event provide a tremendous economic benefit to the region but it will once again showcase Grand Lake to interested audiences across the country.

“GRDA places a high priority on caring for the natural resources under its control, and being a three-time host of the Bassmaster Classic reinforces Grand’s reputation as one of the nation’s top fisheries. GRDA is excited to once again support the Bassmaster Classic, which is known as a premier event and competition for anglers.”

On last year’s list of 100 Best Bass Lakes by Bassmaster Magazine, Grand Lake ranked 17th in the Central Division. That marks the 11th straight year that the fishery has ranked in the Top 100.

The field will include 56 anglers competing for a $300,000 first-place prize and a total purse of over $1 million.

“Since its inception, the Classic has been a tournament that changes lives,” said B.A.S.S. Vice President of Tournaments Chris Bowes. “The payday is great, sure. But the opportunity to refer to yourself as ‘Bassmaster Classic champion’ for the rest of your life — there’s no greater clout in our sport.”

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Endless Adventure Awaits.

With more than 60,000 surface acres and 1,300 miles of shoreline, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees is one of the largest outdoor destinations in Oklahoma. Located on the Grand River, the lake is hugely popular with boaters, fishermen, campers and anyone else who loves spending time in the great outdoors. Anglers are sure to have a blast searching for largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill and the rare paddlefish on Grand Lake waters. And Grand Lake’s shores are lined with so many unique attractions, shops, restaurants, state parks and casinos that seeing everything in one trip is next to impossible.

There’s truly something for everyone to love in the Grand Lake Area!

HOME OF THE 2024 BASSMASTER CLASSIC! Discover all the fun things to see and do in the Grand Lake Area as well as places to stay, places to eat, festivals and more at

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