Lake of the Ozarks Win Goes to Justin Claar and Aaron Sherman
by Ron Presley,
Photos courtesy of Twisted Cat Outdoors by Tom Stolze
First place weight sets new Twisted Cat Outdoors record for Lake of the Ozarks.
Twisted Cat Outdoors launched their 2024 season on Lake of the Ozarks. The December 30, 2023 season opener drew 46 regular teams and 2 grassroots teams. The teams compete in a unique series with a $50 entry for grassroots teams and a $300 entry for the main tournament. Both competitions are 100% payback.
The event was hosted by the renowned Alhonna Resort and Marina, famously featured in Netflix’s show ‘Ozarks’ with its Bluecat Lounge. According to Twisted Cat Outdoors tournament director Alex Nagy, most of the anglers embraced the on-the-water experience by staying at the resort and utilizing the covered boat slips.
“Despite the chilly 28° morning, the conditions proved ideal for fishing,” said Nagy. “We experienced the most successful weigh-in ever recorded for a Twisted Cat Outdoors event at the lake.”
First Place and Big Fish
Justin Claar and Aaron Sherman claimed the top spot with a total weight of 94.02 pounds to earn them a check for $5,520. Their bag included Big Fish of the tourney at 44.64 pounds to add the Castaway Customs MWSC Big Fish award of $500 to their payday.
Claar and Sherman began their tournament by prefishing to set their strategy. They planned to fish on the rope and just needed to determine where to start.
“We found our first spot we wanted to fish the day before the tournament,” reported Claar. “The first thing in the morning we pulled directly into our chosen spot and dropped anchor.”
Their choice was right. They were anchored in 15-20 feet of water on mud. Within the first 30 minutes of fishing, they had 5 fish in the livewell. They use cut shad for bait to start filling the livewell with a limit of fish, including a 32-pound blue. The team anchor fished all day long.
“Once that first bite died off we moved about 75 to 80 yards and anchored again,” revealed Claar. “The bite was much slower in this spot but after about 20 minutes my rod went down and the fight was on as a big fish swam towards some structure.”
Claar was able to turn the fish and win the battle. The big blue weighed 44.64 pounds and ended up being the fish that took Big Fish honors for the tourney.
“The bite slowed down a lot for us after that,” recalled Claar. “We weighed in 2 fish over the 26- to 34-inch slot limit, 2 under slot, and a channel cat for 94.02 pounds. The weight was enough for 1st place and even set a new total weight record for Twisted Cats’ Ozarks tournaments!”
Claar and Sherman caught about 30 to 40 fish on the day.
“Thank you Alex Nagy and all of Twisted Cat’s sponsors for making the event possible,” concluded Claar.
Second Place
The runner-up spot went to J.T. Ray, Kassie Holmes Ray, and Justin Ray with a total weight of 84.28 pounds. The family team earned the 2nd Place check for $2,760.
Third Place
Third place went to John Spatafora and Brian Saunders. They brought a total weight of 66.26 pounds to the scales to earn the 3rd Place check for $1,840.
Fourth Place
Kaleb Mcadams and Chris Baker claimed the fourth spot with a total weight of 64.12 pounds. The Missouri team earned a check for $966.
Fifth Place
The fifth spot at Lake of the Ozarks went to Chris Brinegar and Troy Phillips. They brought a total weight of 61.25 pounds to the scales to earn the 5th Place check for $874.
Note: To view more photos and more winners from the event visit the Twisted Cat Outdoors Facebook page.
Final Thoughts
The tournament, supported by the Alhonna Resort and Marina and the Tri-County Lodging Association, brought a remarkable atmosphere to the Lake of the Ozarks event.
“A total catch of 1,168.39 pounds was recorded,” reported Nagy. “The weigh-in included three big fish over 40 pounds and the winning team impressed with a 94.02 pounds bag with the 5-fish limit rule.”
Looking ahead, the next event is scheduled for February 3rd at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Grove, Oklahoma. It promises to be another thrilling event in the TCO tournament series.
For more information on Twisted Cat Outdoors visit their website or follow them on Facebook.
