Bass Fishing Jul - Sept 2019 | Page 18

Bradford Beavers Splash Bass Grae Buck The FLW Tour stop at Cherokee Lake featured some serious drama on the weigh-in stage, but it was the on-the- water drama (or comedy, depending on your perspective) that made for some great viewing. On day two of the event, Bradford Beavers had a fish hung up. Knowing every ounce counts in this game, the rook- ie went in after his fish. Not to be outdone, second-place finish- er Grae Buck played cat-and-mouse with the same bedding fish all day long on day three. After losing it once, he hooked the fish again, only to see it come unbuttoned right next to the boat. Buck reached out to try to grab the fish before it could escape, but he found himself under water instead. Buck came back later and eventually man- aged to get that same fish in his livewell. Both anglers got their fish – and a great story to tell – in the end. AMe Colossal Catch On April 22, Zachary Sutterfield (left) caught the fish of several lifetimes. The Durant, Okla., bow fisherman hauled in an alligator gar that weighed approxi- mately 170 pounds and measured 6 feet, 9 inches in length. While it’s not the biggest alligator gar to come from Oklahoma waters (254 pounds, snagged by Paul Easley from Lake Texoma in 2015), a 170-pounder is nothing to sneeze at. The prehistoric beasts can live upward of 50 years, and it’s safe to say the one Sutterfield caught was no baby. ...an alligator gar that weighed approximately 170 pounds and measured 6 feet, 9 inches in length. 16 FLWFISHING.COM I SuMMER 2019