Local angling team takes second in Okla. tournament

The local four-state angling team of Zac Udock, Girard and Jim Zaleski, Parsons finished just about a pound away from a new boat this past weekend as they competed in the Falcon Rods Grand Challenge Fishing Tournament on Oklahoma's Grand Lake of the Cherokees.

541 boats competed in the tournament, which ran all day Saturday, May 3. A final weight of 16.63 put the team in second behind eventual winners Steve Scott and Jim Weston who brought 17.70 pounds to the scale.

Working shallow water, the team had their limit by 8 am as they worked soft plastic baits and spinner baits along secondary points of mid-lake tributaries.

"We felt we had a shot at the win," said Udock shortly after accepting his second place check. "The difference was we were only able to land a five-pound fish as our kicker fish, first place had a seven-pounder to give them the edge."

While missing out on the boat, the team still pocketed $2,650 for their efforts. Another area team of Mike Walters and Richard Fitzwater finished 18th. Fitzwater produces his own line of jigs under the Shock n Awe brand, to learn more go to www.fitzwaterlures.com.

The team of Udock and Zaleski are also co-hosts a four-state based fishing radio show. The hour long show, Fishing Tallgrass Country, airs at 6am on 1010 AM Independence Kansas 101.7 FM Joplin, Missouri & Pittsburg, Kansas 1460 AM, Chanute, Kansas.