The North Central Region capped off its 2024 season on October 26th and 27th with the Regional Championship at Richland Chambers Reservoir. Faced with a lake that was fishing tough, record high temperatures forecasted for both days, and an extremely crowded field of contestants, the anglers would have their work cut out for them.
On Saturday morning, the anglers navigated the crowded boat ramp at Oak Cove Marina to launch their boats and everyone was in the water ready to go. The sunrise was spectacular, the temperature was cool and there was a slight breeze from the south when the field took off. The wind picked up later in the day and the temperature steadily rose into the uncomfortable range and was downright hot at weigh in. Justin Hallmark, Big Sandy Creek Bass Club, had the only limit on the boater side and took the first place spot with 9.83 pounds. In second after day 1 was boater, Toby Tucker, also from Big Sandy Creek Bass Club, with 8.75 pounds and one fish shy of a limit. Rounding out the top three boaters in the event after day 1 was Andrew Wren, Tarrant Christian Bass Club, with 5.33 pounds on four fish. On the Co-Angler side, it was Joe Sciuto bringing in an impressive three fish limit weighing 8.46 pounds, which included the big bass of the tournament, a 3.69 pound behmouth! At the conclusion of weigh-in on day one, only 0.2 pounds separated the second place co-angler, James McDonald, CenTex Bass Hunters, one fish for 1.64 pounds, and third place co-angler, Stephen Farrar, Tarrant Christian Bass Club, one fish for 1.44 pounds, setting up a day two epic battle royale between those two co-anglers for a place on the 2025 Texas State Team.
Another beautiful sunrise awaited the anglers on the final day of competition, however, on this Sunday morning the wind was almost nonexistent. The bite was tough, and the entire field struggled to put keeper fish in the boat, with all of the anglers reporting catching a slew of undersize fish, especially after noon with the return of the wind. After a long, hot day, Justin Hallmark managed to bring only three keepers to the scales for 7.26 pounds, but his two day total weight of 17.09 pounds would be enough to take first place on the boater side and become the 2024 North Central Region Champion Angler. Second place went to Andrew Wren with a two day total weight of 12.65 pounds. Andrew mounted a valiant comeback by weighing in the heaviest sack of the day, 7.32 pounds, which was enough to overtake Toby Tucker, who dropped to third overall with a two day total of 11.95 pounds.
On the Co-Angler side, first place went to Joe Sciuto, who completed his wire to wire dominance over the rest of the co-angler field with a two day total of 11.04 pounds. Joe is the 2024 North Central Region Champion Co-Angler! In the highly anticipated race between McDonald and Farrar, the competition was brutal and fierce, and the dual would come down to the very last second. When all was said and done, both of them blanked on day two, leaving James McDonald in second place and cementing his place on the 2025 Texas State Team.
Congratulations to the 2025 North Central Region representatives for the 2025 Texas State Team! Boaters – Justin Hallmark & Andrew Wren; Non-boaters: Joe Sciuto & James McDonald.
For those Nation members who dream of fishing the next level and ultimately the bass master classic and who may be interested in fishing the North Central Region trail in 2025, we invite you to join us and mark your calendars. We will be accepting registrations for the regional qualifiers beginning on December 1, 2024 and hope you will come fish with us next year! All nation members are welcome to sign up.
Stephen Farrar
North Central Region Director
Club Division
Texas BASS Nation
(682) 465-6165
Sfarrar@texasbass.org