Okie Goines limps into lead

Local TV celebrity put on a show featuring a limit of bass that would put him in lead, and a boat rescue by two competitors.

MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Local television celebrity Mark Goines put on a show today featuring a limit of bass and a boat rescue by a couple of his competitors during the Bass Pro Shops Central Open on the Arkansas River.

After catching a 14-pound, 2-ounce limit yesterday to move into third place in the pro division, Goines made another long run today to the Kerr pool near his home.

The “Hooked on Fishing” show host caught another limit weighing 12-10 and was headed back to the weigh-in site when his motor broke down. Fellow competitor JT Kenney towed Goines’ boat back to the lock and then Goines had to hitch a ride with E.P. Fletcher to get his fish to the weigh-in on time.

"If it wasn’t for those guys I would still be floating around somewhere,” said Goines, who moved into first place with 26-12.

The Shady Point, Okla., angler said he followed about the same routine as he did the first competition day. “I went to an area that I stopped on yesterday,” he said. “There was a lot of shad back in that area so I went in there today and that was my second stop. I spent a little bit more time in there and covered a little bit more of the area.

"It worked out pretty well. I caught three real nice keepers in there.”

Goines caught two keepers before he got to the lock in the morning. “I had a little time to fish (before locking through) so I stopped on some laydowns and picked up a couple of fish there,” he said.

Completing his limit by 10:30 a.m., Goines decided to head back upriver.

“Then I started having problems,” he said.

Catching a 16-7 limit today helped Collinsville, Miss., angler Brock Mosley jump from 42nd place into the runner-up spot. Yesterday Mosley went to an area to catch five keepers and completed his limit in 2 1/2 hours but decided to leave the spot. Today he decided to stay in the area once he finished his limit and the move paid off as he caught bigger fish. “I stayed with one rod today and never threw anything else,” said Mosley, who trails Goines by only 1 ounce with 26-11.

“I am going to go back in there tomorrow and grind it out all day.”

Other pros in the top five include Chris Jones, Bokoshe, Okla., third, 26-7; Trevor Romans, Plano, Texas, fourth, 24-14; and Terry Butcher, Talala, Okla., fifth, 24-5.

John Thomas of Hulbert, Okla., continues to lead the co-angler division with 17-9. He had only two keeper bites today but one was a 5-14 largemouth. He caught several small fish by downsizing his lures early, but had to go back to flipping the wood to catch his keepers.

Hosting this Open is the Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce. Saturday’s launch will be held at the Three Forks Harbor, 5201 Three Forks Road. The weigh-in will move to the Bass Pro Shops, 101 Bass Pro Drive, in Broken Arrow, Okla., and will begin at 4 p.m. CDST.