TCO Win at Ft. Smith Goes to Kelby Sockey, Blaize Bray, and Quinlan Hogan
by Ron Presley,
Photos courtesy of Twisted Cat Outdoors by Tom Stolze
Big Fish honors was also claimed by the first-place team.
Fort Smith, Arkansas, was alive with excitement as TCO hosted another memorable catfish tournament. The event was part of a series of 12 events planned for the year aiming towards the TCO Classic for 50 qualifying anglers.
The event drew 33 teams from seven states, showcasing the competitive spirit of the catfishing community. Those teams were composed of 83 anglers who caught and brought 1,460.43 pounds of catfish to the scales from Kerr Lake.
“Anglers had the unique opportunity to fish across four pools,” reported tournament director Alex Nagy. “They included 12, 13, 14, and 15 in the beautiful Kerr Reservoir. Local regulations allow a 5 fish limit—specifically, two over 30 inches and three under 30 inches.”
The weigh-in in the Bakery District downtown became a focal point of excitement where large crowds gathered, eager to witness the day’s catch and cheer on their favorite teams.
When all the weights were recorded, it took more than 100 pounds to win with a bag that included Big Fish of the tournament at more than 55 pounds.
First Place and Big Fish 
Kelby Sockey, Blaize Bray, and Quinlan Hogan claimed the top spot on Kerr with a total weight of 107.37 pounds in a bag that included Big Fish of the tournament at 55.50 pounds. They earned the first-place check of $3,960 and added $500 for the Castaway Customs MWSC Big Fish Bonus to boost their earnings to $4,460.
As a dedicated catfish angler, Sockey understands the importance of bait. Knowing that big shad had been hard to come by he made sure to have some substitute “big” baits on hand for the tournament on Kerr.
“We were fishing a quarter-mile long ridge,” reported Sockey following the tournament. “We were targeting water that ranged from 9 to 17 feet deep. My bait of choice was shad and white bass. The big 10- to 16-inch shad has been really hard to catch lately so I substituted white bass for big baits. Boy did it pay off.”
The team was using a Santee Cooper rig and fishing on anchor. Their first spot produced quickly and by 7:30 am they had their first big fish in the boat. By 10 o’clock they had caught several overs and decided to move, hoping to find some bigger fish and cull some smaller ones.
“We changed location not knowing what lay around the next bend,” recalled Sockey. “We pulled up to some laid-over trees in about 13 feet of water. I cast a few shad heads down around the roots and it wasn’t long before the medium-heavy Mad Katz rod bent down to the water.”
They grabbed the rod and landed the 55.50-pound blue cat that turned out to be the Big Fish of the tournament and helped lift them to the number one spot. But their day was not quite over. As they approached the boat ramp a strange thing happened that seemed to be an omen.
“Early on tournament morning we were talking about the door prizes that Twisted Cats has to offer,” explained Sockey. “The one that came to mind was a toy wrestling belt with a 1st place emblem on it. When we decided to call it a day and went back to the ramp to load the boat that’s we discovered the belt washed ashore. No lies, you can ask the crew. We were all stunned!”
They continued to the weigh-in in the Bakery District of Ft. Smith and sure enough, the toy belt they found floating had, in fact, ended up in the hands of the first-place team.
“We would like to thank Twisted Cats for coming to this area and hosting such a great tournament,” Sockey concluded.
Epilogue: The weekend was not over for Shockey. In demonstrating his enthusiasm for catfishing, he followed the TCO tournament on Saturday by fishing a Kerr Whisker Chasers tournament on Sunday with similar results on the same reservoir.
“I took first place in yesterday’s tournament with 87 pounds in 5 five fish,” confirmed Sockey. “I was fishing with Doren Smith on another amazing day. Our biggest fish was a 49.5-pound flathead. We came out firing on all cylinders right from the start. Since this tournament only allows you to have 1 over 30 inches we let go some really nice fish weighing 22, 28, 34, and 48 pounds.”
Second Place 
The runner-up spot went to J.T. Ray, Justin Ray, and Robert Robinson. The three-man team registered a total weight of 103.22 pounds to earn the 2nd place check for $1,980.
Third Place 
Third place went to Chris and Hunter Taylor with a total weight of 99.79 pounds. Their day of catfishing earned them a check for $1,320.
Fourth Place 
Kevin Parks and John Jamison pulled down the 4th place money with a total weight of 78.46 pounds to earn a check for $694.
Fifth Place 
The 5th-place team was Colten Riordan and Clyde Hood. They teamed up to bring a total weight of 72.00 pounds to the scales and earn the 5th-place check for $626.
Note: To view more Tom Stolze photos and more winners from the event visit the Twisted Cat Outdoors Facebook page.
Final Thoughts
“Kerr was the fourth stop on this year’s circuit,” noted Nagy. “The tournament not only offered thrilling competition but also heated up the points race, adding an extra layer of anticipation for the remaining events.”
Looking ahead, the next challenge for TCO anglers is scheduled for May 4th, 2024 at Milford Lake in Kansas.
For more information on Twisted Cat Outdoors visit their website or follow them on Facebook.
