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OKA Angler Spotlight: Chris Jones

By: Chris Jones

I was born and raised in Henryetta, Oklahoma fishing local ponds, Eufuala, and Dripping Springs. My grandfather taught me more than I can even remember, focusing more so on soft plastics than anything. This year was my first year with the OKA, and I used the knowledge that he gave me to secure 20th overall, and runner up for NOY.



 Chris Jones

I served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard for 10 years, finally 'retiring' at the beginning of this year, in which I now do finish carpentry for new residential housing. It gives me adequate time to prefish and fish in most tournaments. I hurt myself this year by not participating in the two monthly tournaments for the OKA in which I believe I could of maybe taken the first spot for NOY or moved up into the top ten for AOY. I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the most part by playing volleyball, softball, and golfing. When the weather doesn't permit the outdoor activities I enjoy, you'll usually see me sitting in front of my computer watching fishing videos, especially Greg Blanchard. Next year I hope to finish my setup so that I myself can start producing some quality fishing videos' along side Tj Johnson. Tj and I constantly learn and push each other through competitive fishing either in tournaments or just between one another and both of us have learned a lot fishing together. The main thing I learned this year was patience, I started slowing myself down, fishing a spot till I was completely sure nothing was there or biting there. 


    Biggin

How I typically fish is shallow, beating the bank, finding brush piles, submerged trees, rock walls or anything that will definitely snag me up. This year was my first year really throwing a wacky rigged senko and it paid off in two of the tournaments. The first one being the statewide OKIE Road Runner, in which I fished Bixhoma Lake, catching the first one on my first cast and proceeded to switch between a wacky rigged senko and a Texas- rigged sweet beaver. I tried punching the heavy grass at Bixhoma with no luck and decided instead of punching it to lay my wacky rig on top which proceeded to give me plenty of bites. The second tournament I had major successs with was at Birch. The bite was tough that, and I noticed early the fish wanted slow presentation, using a rock wall with a drop off, I would use that wall and let my worm slowly fall down til they hit it, and they would crush it. Next year I'm bound and determined to get better in colder weather, and using moving baits, more specifically crank baits. 


 Chris Fishing a Rock Wall

I started kayaking because I was tired of bank fishing, and not being able to afford a boat, but soon realized that in a kayak I could get into those super shallow areas where boats cannot. The Tulsa Bass-a-thon helped me realize how much I love the competitive side of it and the adrenaline that you get fishing against others. I fish out of a Perception Pilot, while I love it, and I love the price point of it there are a few things that make it difficult for me, but that just drives me my competitive spirit. 


This year I've been extremely grateful for the fishing. I caught my PB largemouth on the Chattahoochee River and Lake Seminole. My PB smallmouth came at Tenkiller the day before the tournament. Sadly my PB spotted bass isn't very big still but I caught it this year during the state championship. Next year I'm hoping to make it back to the state championship at Broken Bow and my goal is to finish in the top 10% in two tournaments, and get top 10 for AOY. If anyone sees me on the water they are more than welcome to chat with me about fishing and I love sharing techniques with my fellow anglers. 

Editors Notes: Go give Chris a follow on his Instagram page: @boofishing for the latest on his fishing adventures.


 PB Smallmouth


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