Wray seeks shelter, finds fish to win Central Divisional
Kansas team and member finish second

Arkansas angler Josh Wray wins the 2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Divisional on Oklahoma’s Lake Eufaula, sacking a three-day total of 41 pounds, 5 ounces. Photo by Greg Huff/Bassmaster

June 6, 2014 - EUFAULA, Okla. — Seeking shelter from the storm proved key to Josh Wray’s B.A.S.S. Nation Central Divisional win Friday on Oklahoma’s Lake Eufaula.

On many parts of the 100,000-plus acre lake, heavy rain and persistent lightning prompted several competitors to seek shelter for an hour or more. But while they were waiting it out, Wray was filling out his limit — without getting wet.

“When the storm hit, we pulled up into a big box culvert at this spot I’d been saving,” said the angler from Omaha, Ark. “Current was funneling through there from the main lake, going away from the nose of my boat, and I was making casts from inside there — out to the mouth of the culvert — and they were stacked up there. I filled out my limit, and we didn’t even get wet.”

His five-fish limit weighed 14 pounds, 9 ounces, which was more than enough to best Day 2 leader Preston Frazell, of Cleveland, Okla., who brought only 11-13 to the scales. Wray’s three-day total weight was 41 pounds, 5 ounces. Frazell’s total was 39-9.

An Arkansas B.A.S.S. Nation angler, Wray credited his Louisiana Nation co-angler, Destre DeDeaux, for sportsmanship and selflessness that proved instrumental in his win. Although Wray’s Power-Poles helped keep his boat positioned in the culvert as current rushed through, DeDeaux helped even more.

“He was holding onto the wall, keeping me from getting swept out over where the fish were positioned,” Wray explained. “If we would have gone over them even once, they would have spooked.”

Wray had two fish in his livewell when he and DeDeaux pulled into the culvert. He caught three there on a homemade perch-pattern spinnerbait — one of which was a 5-pounder. He didn’t catch another keeper the rest of the day.

“I landed five today, mainly because of my partner,” he said. “He’s the man. I’m taking out him for ribeye tonight.”

Far enough down in the standings to not have a chance to qualify for the 2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, DeDeaux didn’t make a cast all day, giving Wray access to all the fish on any given spot. In 2011, Wray and DeDeaux both qualified for the championship, fishing out of the same boat.

“He knew that I had a shot at making it again and winning overall, so he was my net man and cheered me on the whole time,” Wray said. “That’s the kind of guy he is.”

Wray caught most of his fish throughout the tournament on the spinnerbait and a 5/16-ounce brown jig with a watermelon green Yum Money Craw trailer. He mostly targeted channel swings and big boulders.

“It had to be a channel swing, the boat had to be sitting in about 8 to 10 feet of water, and rocks at least half the size of your boat or bigger,” he said. “I just concentrated on single rocks.”

He found the boulders in practice and marked them with waypoints. “I could see them down in the water when the sun would get up, so I just drove around in practice, marking rocks.”

The top angler from each state now advances to the 2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Nov. 6-8, on Louisiana’s Ouachita River. The anglers who win their divisions at the championship will advance to the 2015 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell.

In finishing runner-up to Wray on Friday, Frazell was the top angler for the Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation.

Other contenders that qualified for the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship include Albert Collins, Texas; Mark Wiese Jr., Mo.; Lee Wubbels, Neb.; David Cavell, La.; John Soukup, Okla.; and Teb Jones, Miss.

Oklahoma won the team competition, with 104 bass for 257 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned them a Skeeter/Yamaha boat package valued at $40,000.

Alex Torkelson and William Valdez of the Oklahoma B.A.S.S. Nation won the high school team competition, with a two-day combined limit of nine bass for 22 pounds, 15 ounces. Their weight counted toward the adult team’s win.

The Carhartt Big Bass award was presented to Frazell for his 7-pound, 1-ounce bass.

The next divisional in which anglers will earn berths into the championship is the B.A.S.S. Nation Mid-Atlantic Divisional to be held June 25-27 onVirginia's Buggs Island Reservoir. More information is available on Bassmaster.com

2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha

2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Supporting Sponsors: Boat US, Booyah, Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Plano, Power-Pole, Rigid Industries, Shimano

2014 BASS Nation Central Divisional 6/4-6/6
Lake Eufaula, Eufaula  OK.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 3

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   
1.  Josh Wray              Omaha, AR (AR)          15  41-05  0
2.  Preston Frazell        Cleveland, OK (KS)      15  39-09  0
3.  Albert Collins         Nacogdoches, TX (TX)    14  36-07  0
4.  Trevor Rogge           San Antonio, TX (TX)    15  36-01  0
5.  Mark Wiese Jr.         High Ridge, MO (MO)     14  35-03  0
6.  Lee Wubbels            Lincoln, NE (NE)        13  34-11  0
7.  David Cavell           Prairieville, LA (LA)   13  33-14  0
8.  Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA (LA)       14  31-08  0
9.  John Soukup            Agra, OK (OK)           13  30-10  0
10. Billy Lemon            Sand Springs, OK (OK)   13  30-05  0
11. Curry Schaubhut JR     Gramercy, LA (LA)       13  26-07  0
12. Robert Degraffenreid   Oklahoma Cty, OK (OK)   11  26-04  0
13. Chris Torkleson        Sand Springs, OK (KS)   11  25-07  0
14. Teb Jones              Hattiesburg, MS (MS)    12  24-10  0
15. Jeff Hinton            Moss Point, MS (MS)     8  24-03  0
16. Duane Hanzlik          St. Joseph, MO (NE)     11  23-15  0
17. Jamie Laiche           Gonzales, LA (LA)       10  23-12  0
18. Tray Huddleston        Russellville, AR (AR)   11  23-00  0
19. OK HS - Valdez / Torkleson Sand Springs, OK (OK)   10  22-15  0
20. Dustin Blevins         Harrison, AR (AR)       10  22-14  0
21. Kyle Klein             Hutchinson, KS (KS)     9  22-09  0
22. Kris Lee               Coweta, OK (OK)         8  22-07  0
23. Brad Samuelson         Shawnee, KS (NE)        10  22-07  0
24. Troy Enmeier           Enid, OK (OK)           9  22-02  0
25. Brian Penning          Wichita, KS (KS)        11  21-12  0
26. Keith Blackstone       Choctaw, OK (OK)        10  21-02  0
27. Harvey Horne           Bella Vista, AR (AR)    8  20-09  0
28. Nate Maher             OTTUMWA, IA (MO)        8  20-06  0
29. Brandon Pedigo         Durant, OK (OK)         10  20-05  0
30. Mick Maples            Rolla, MO (MO)          8  19-14  0
31. Jason Windham          Crawford, TX (TX)       8  19-12  0
32. Mike Brooks            Winchester, KS (MO)     8  19-10  0
33. Roger Coleman          Lincoln, NE (NE)        8  19-07  0
34. Joel Mayfield          Perkinston, MS (MS)     8  19-05  0
35. Jason Pecoraro         Youngsville, LA (LA)    10  19-01  0
36. Charlie Bogard         Saint Charles, MO (MO)  7  17-13  0
37. David Frank            Rogers, AR (AR)         8  17-12  0
38. Kevin Parker           Sumrall, MS (MS)        6  17-05  0
39. Bo Middleton           Elgin, OK (OK)          6  17-05  0
40. Brent Malone           Grove, OK (OK)          5  16-15  0
41. Gary Martin            Waco, TX (TX)           6  16-15  0
42. KS HS - Wagner / Luna  Grain Valley, MO (KS)   8  16-07  0
43. Tim Carmouche          Gonzales, LA (LA)       6  16-05  0
44. Greg Cooper            Monroe City, MO (MO)    6  16-04  0
45. Jean Trahan            Lafayette, LA (LA)      7  16-04  0
46. James Parsons          Topeka, KS (KS)         7  16-01  0
47. Brannon Long           Longview, TX (TX)       7  16-00  0
48. Yancey Hartzer         Culbertson, NE (NE)     7  16-00  0
49. AR HS- Neff / Schureman Rogers, AR (AR)         8  15-15  0
50. Kristoffer Cooley      Mountain Home, AR (AR)  8  15-14  0
51. Pat Klausen            Lincoln, NE (NE)        8  15-09  0
52. Jimmy Murphy           Moss Point, MS (MS)     6  15-08  0
53. Travis Tunnell         Benton, KS (KS)         7  15-05  0
54. Heath Fall             Prairieville, LA (LA)   7  14-07  0
55. Jim Simpson            Canyon, TX (TX)         7  14-05  0
56. Rick Carroll           Rolla, MO (MO)          6  13-15  0
57. Jay Ladner             Kiln, MS (MS)           7  13-14  0
58. Kenny Wasmund          South Sioux City, NE (N 5  13-00  0
59. Abe Yang               Kansas City, KS (KS)    6  12-14  0
60. Aaron Kint             Little Elm, TX (TX)     5  12-12  0
61. Logan Main             Perkinston, MS (MS)     6  12-07  0
62. Jeremy Dinneen         Salina, KS (KS)         5  12-05  0
63. Kevin Miller           Andover, KS (KS)        5  12-04  0
64. Gary Daniel            Harrison, AR (AR)       5  11-15  0
65. Skipper Smith          Moss Point, MS (MS)     5  11-09  0
66. Jason Buller           McAlester, OK (OK)      6  11-06  0
67. Jack Wood              Benton, AR (AR)         6  11-06  0
68. Jerry Pape             Milford, IA (NE)        5  11-00  0
69. Douglas Troxel         Moran, KS (KS)          6  10-13  0
70. Ryland Kirchoff        Corpus Christi, TX (TX) 4  10-09  0
71. Brett Bellard          Duson, LA (LA)          5  10-06  0
72. MS HS - Bullock / Goff Moss Point, MS (MS)     5  10-03  0
73. Duane Fears            Fort Smith, AR (AR)     5  09-08  0
74. Jason Boswell          Corning, IA (NE)        4  09-06  0
75. Nick Ash               Omaha, NE (NE)          3  09-05  0
76. Brett Millner          Canyon, TX (TX)         5  09-02  0
77. Savie Goff             Lucedale, MS (MS)       5  09-01  0
78. Trevor Yates           Norman, OK (OK)         5  08-15  0
79. Greg Voss              Jefferson City, MO (MO) 4  08-08  0
80. Kris Schroeder         Greenwood, MO (MO)      3  08-07  0
81. Bruce Carter           Katy, TX (TX)           5  08-05  0
82. John Hill              Western Grove, AR (AR)  5  08-04  0
83. TX HS - Bludworth / Garner Douglass, TX (TX)       4  08-01  0
84. Jason Buchanan         Burnet, TX (TX)         4  07-09  0
85. Michael Smith          Harrison, AR (AR)       4  07-08  0
86. Bobby Foskey           Biloxi, MS (MS)         4  07-08  0
87. Landon Dixon           Norman, OK (OK)         2  07-02  0
88. Beau Branine           Haysville, KS (KS)      3  07-00  0
89. Rick Mabile            Pierre Part, LA (LA)    3  07-00  0
90. Richard Riley          Omaha, NE (NE)          3  06-14  0
91. Cecil Carter           Amarillo, TX (TX)       3  06-13  0
92. Brandon Orton          Memphis, MO (MO)        3  06-03  0
93. Doug Canoy             Meadville, MS (MS)      3  06-00  0
94. David Padgett          Republican City, NE (NE 3  05-15  0
95. Destre Dedeaux         Meadville, MS (MS)      2  05-14  0
96. Chuck Bonnett III      Camdenton, MO (MO)      3  05-06  0
97. Raymond Hillebrand     Leavenworth, KS (MO)    2  05-02  0
98. Terrell Foster         Natchez, MS (MS)        2  05-01  0
99. Jeff Denton            Lubbock, TX (TX)        2  04-13  0
100. MO HS - Lenhert / Soske Kansas City, MO (MO)    2  04-12  0
101. Will Major             Port Allen, LA (LA)     3  04-10  0
102. Jackie Gordon          Lindale, TX (TX)        2  04-09  0
103. LA HS - Kelly / King   Denham Springs, LA (LA) 2  04-08  0
104. Blake Betz             Baton Rouge, LA (LA)    2  03-05  0
105. John Russell           Mt Vernon, MO (KS)      2  02-14  0
106. Mark Stafford          Van Buren, AR (AR)      1  01-09  0
107. NE HS - Schaefer / Iossi Omaha, NE (NE)          0  -1-00  0
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Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       10       214       500-00
2       17       235       556-05
3       20       267       598-03
----------------------------------
47       716      1654-08

TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
----------------------------------
State                Lbs-Oz
1 OKLAHOMA             257-13
2 KANSAS               215-04
3 TEXAS                212-01
4 LOUISIANA            211-07
5 ARKANSAS             207-07
6 NEBRASKA             186-09
7 MISSISSIPPI          182-08
8 MISSOURI             181-07

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
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KANSAS
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Preston Frazell      Cleveland, OK               15   39-09  0
2 Chris Torkleson      Sand Springs, OK            11   25-07  0
3 Kyle Klein           Hutchinson, KS              9   22-09  0
4 Brian Penning        Wichita, KS                 11   21-12  0
5 KS HS - Wagner / Luna Grain Valley, MO            8   16-07  0
6 James Parsons        Topeka, KS                  7   16-01  0
7 Travis Tunnell       Benton, KS                  7   15-05  0
8 Abe Yang             Kansas City, KS             6   12-14  0
9 Jeremy Dinneen       Salina, KS                  5   12-05  0
10 Kevin Miller         Andover, KS                 5   12-04  0
11 Douglas Troxel       Moran, KS                   6   10-13  0
12 Beau Branine         Haysville, KS               3   07-00  0
13 John Russell         Mt Vernon, MO               2   02-14  0

OKLAHOMA
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 John Soukup          Agra, OK                    13   30-10  0
2 Billy Lemon          Sand Springs, OK            13   30-05  0
3 Robert Degraffenreid Oklahoma Cty, OK            11   26-04  0
4 OK HS - Valdez / Torkleson Sand Springs, OK            10   22-15  0
5 Kris Lee             Coweta, OK                  8   22-07  0
6 Troy Enmeier         Enid, OK                    9   22-02  0
7 Keith Blackstone     Choctaw, OK                 10   21-02  0
8 Brandon Pedigo       Durant, OK                  10   20-05  0
9 Bo Middleton         Elgin, OK                   6   17-05  0
10 Brent Malone         Grove, OK                   5   16-15  0
11 Jason Buller         McAlester, OK               6   11-06  0
12 Trevor Yates         Norman, OK                  5   08-15  0
13 Landon Dixon         Norman, OK                  2   07-02  0

LOUISIANA
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 David Cavell         Prairieville, LA            13   33-14  0
2 Robbie Latuso        Gonzales, LA                14   31-08  0
3 Curry Schaubhut JR   Gramercy, LA                13   26-07  0
4 Jamie Laiche         Gonzales, LA                10   23-12  0
5 Jason Pecoraro       Youngsville, LA             10   19-01  0
6 Tim Carmouche        Gonzales, LA                6   16-05  0
7 Jean Trahan          Lafayette, LA               7   16-04  0
8 Heath Fall           Prairieville, LA            7   14-07  0
9 Brett Bellard        Duson, LA                   5   10-06  0
10 Rick Mabile          Pierre Part, LA             3   07-00  0
11 Will Major           Port Allen, LA              3   04-10  0
12 LA HS - Kelly / King Denham Springs, LA          2   04-08  0
13 Blake Betz           Baton Rouge, LA             2   03-05  0

NEBRASKA
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Lee Wubbels          Lincoln, NE                 13   34-11  0
2 Duane Hanzlik        St. Joseph, MO              11   23-15  0
3 Brad Samuelson       Shawnee, KS                 10   22-07  0
4 Roger Coleman        Lincoln, NE                 8   19-07  0
5 Yancey Hartzer       Culbertson, NE              7   16-00  0
6 Pat Klausen          Lincoln, NE                 8   15-09  0
7 Kenny Wasmund        South Sioux City, NE        5   13-00  0
8 Jerry Pape           Milford, IA                 5   11-00  0
9 Jason Boswell        Corning, IA                 4   09-06  0
10 Nick Ash             Omaha, NE                   3   09-05  0
11 Richard Riley        Omaha, NE                   3   06-14  0
12 David Padgett        Republican City, NE         3   05-15  0
13 NE HS - Schaefer / Iossi Omaha, NE                   0   -1-00  0

MISSOURI
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mark Wiese Jr.       High Ridge, MO              14   35-03  0
2 Nate Maher           OTTUMWA, IA                 8   20-06  0
3 Mick Maples          Rolla, MO                   8   19-14  0
4 Mike Brooks          Winchester, KS              8   19-10  0
5 Charlie Bogard       Saint Charles, MO           7   17-13  0
6 Greg Cooper          Monroe City, MO             6   16-04  0
7 Rick Carroll         Rolla, MO                   6   13-15  0
8 Greg Voss            Jefferson City, MO          4   08-08  0
9 Kris Schroeder       Greenwood, MO               3   08-07  0
10 Brandon Orton        Memphis, MO                 3   06-03  0
11 Chuck Bonnett III    Camdenton, MO               3   05-06  0
12 Raymond Hillebrand   Leavenworth, KS             2   05-02  0
13 MO HS - Lenhert / Soske Kansas City, MO             2   04-12  0

ARKANSAS
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Josh Wray            Omaha, AR                   15   41-05  0
2 Tray Huddleston      Russellville, AR            11   23-00  0
3 Dustin Blevins       Harrison, AR                10   22-14  0
4 Harvey Horne         Bella Vista, AR             8   20-09  0
5 David Frank          Rogers, AR                  8   17-12  0
6 AR HS- Neff / Schureman Rogers, AR                  8   15-15  0
7 Kristoffer Cooley    Mountain Home, AR           8   15-14  0
8 Gary Daniel          Harrison, AR                5   11-15  0
9 Jack Wood            Benton, AR                  6   11-06  0
10 Duane Fears          Fort Smith, AR              5   09-08  0
11 John Hill            Western Grove, AR           5   08-04  0
12 Michael Smith        Harrison, AR                4   07-08  0
13 Mark Stafford        Van Buren, AR               1   01-09  0

MISSISSIPPI
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Teb Jones            Hattiesburg, MS             12   24-10  0
2 Jeff Hinton          Moss Point, MS              8   24-03  0
3 Joel Mayfield        Perkinston, MS              8   19-05  0
4 Kevin Parker         Sumrall, MS                 6   17-05  0
5 Jimmy Murphy         Moss Point, MS              6   15-08  0
6 Jay Ladner           Kiln, MS                    7   13-14  0
7 Logan Main           Perkinston, MS              6   12-07  0
8 Skipper Smith        Moss Point, MS              5   11-09  0
9 MS HS - Bullock / Goff Moss Point, MS              5   10-03  0
10 Savie Goff           Lucedale, MS                5   09-01  0
11 Bobby Foskey         Biloxi, MS                  4   07-08  0
12 Doug Canoy           Meadville, MS               3   06-00  0
13 Destre Dedeaux       Meadville, MS               2   05-14  0
14 Terrell Foster       Natchez, MS                 2   05-01  0

TEXAS
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Albert Collins       Nacogdoches, TX             14   36-07  0
2 Trevor Rogge         San Antonio, TX             15   36-01  0
3 Jason Windham        Crawford, TX                8   19-12  0
4 Gary Martin          Waco, TX                    6   16-15  0
5 Brannon Long         Longview, TX                7   16-00  0
6 Jim Simpson          Canyon, TX                  7   14-05  0
7 Aaron Kint           Little Elm, TX              5   12-12  0
8 Ryland Kirchoff      Corpus Christi, TX          4   10-09  0
9 Brett Millner        Canyon, TX                  5   09-02  0
10 Bruce Carter         Katy, TX                    5   08-05  0
11 TX HS - Bludworth / Garner Douglass, TX                4   08-01  0
12 Jason Buchanan       Burnet, TX                  4   07-09  0
13 Cecil Carter         Amarillo, TX                3   06-13  0
14 Jeff Denton          Lubbock, TX                 2   04-13  0
15 Jackie Gordon        Lindale, TX                 2   04-09  0