Chris Parks Kicks Off Columbia River Leading Day One in BAM Tournament Trail Pro/Am

Will Harris Hooks Co-Angler Lead

By Jody Only

BOARDMAN, Ore. – Day One of the 4^th stop of the BAM Tournament Trail Pro/Am presented by the Boardman Chamber of Commerce kicked off at the Columbia River with Chris Parks of Eugene, Ore leading the pro angler side weighing 22.04, anchored by a 5.62 big bass.

“I had a plan today and was able to execute on it,” said Parks. “I found some really good fish yesterday in practice and went back to ‘em and they were still there today. But it had went from super-windy to flat calm.”

Targeting hard bottom for his better fish and adjusting for the conditions Parks went from swimbaits and spinnerbaits in practice to finesse tactics on game day.

“When the wind blows the fish will get aggressive, loosen up a bit and chase and when you have nothing but slick conditions, my rule of thumb is (very small) bottom baits,” he shared.

Tempting 15 to 20 keepers on the first day, Parks revealed he had a limit within 30 minutes in the morning and will return to the same area for Day Two.

“I caught enough quality fish in the area to run the same program (on Day Two),” he said. “It is pretty vast. If I can repeat the same thing, I expect to have 16 to 18 pounds.”

Harris Hooks Columbia’s Co Lead

After fishing with his Day One draw pro partner, Ron Wiseman from Pendelton, Ore., fellow Oregon angler Will Harris tops the Columbia River co-angler standings for the first day of the Pro/Am with a five-fish limit of 17.42.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever led after the first day of an event,” shared Hariis. “I’ve got some nerves going into Day Two, but I just have to do the same thing I did today.

Harris threw both reaction and finesse baits for his fish.

“It was just a little bit of everything,” he said. “We moved around a lot, and I seemed to be able to take one good fish off of every spot we hit and made a lot of good culls – seven or eight times.”

Harris found his best bite mid-morning.

“I didn’t have a fish for the first hour and then we moved to a different area, and I had a quick limit within about 20 minutes,” he added.

Harris is paired with Parks for his Day Two pro and his plan is to “just go fishing”.

“I am going to try to forget my placement, forget his placement, have a mental reset and take it as a new day,” he added.

The BAM Tournament Trail Pro/Am at the Columbia River will blast off and weigh in June 28 to June 29. Champions will be crowned on the final day. More insight on the event can be found at the BAM TT site.

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About BAM Tournament Trail

The Bass Angler Magazine Tournament Trail (BAM TT), offers an unparalleled platform for anglers and sponsors, alike combining vast exposure opportunities that celebrate the skills of western bass anglers. The circuit garners extensive media coverage across print and online magazines, websites, videos, television, and multiple social media channels.

Proud Sponsors of the BAM Tournament Trail: Bass Boat Technologies, Tackle Warehouse, Boardman Chamber, Garmin,  Storquest, and, Bass Cat Boats, Ford Fairfield, Dish – Accel Marketing, Power Pole, Mercury Outboards, Bob’s Machine, Wood Bros, Sticky Graphics, Jean Deleonardi Real Estate, Valley Outdoors, Eternal Lithium and, Alpha Angler Rods, and Fisherman’s Warehouse.

BAM’s Esteemed Tourism Sponsors: the Boardman Chamber, City of Oakley, the Lake Almanor Chamber, and the Feather River Tourism Association.

The BAM Tournament Trail features the BAM Pro Tour, Pro-Am, and Kayak events, each designed to test the determination of western anglers in a competitive and environmentally conscious format.

To learn more about the BAM Pro Tour, Pro-Am and Kayak events. Visit: BAM TRAIL, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram

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