Zapata, TX - The eight top bass pros from Texas squared off today against the eight from Oklahoma in the fourth annual BoatU.S. Angler Texas-Oklahoma Shootout on Falcon Lake in Zapata, Texas. In the past three months, Falcon Lake's water level has risen higher then it has been since the early 1990s. With water now where rattlesnakes lived only days ago, the border lake has turned into a challenge and the playing field leveled for the three-day competition. 

Today, the anglers were divided into pairs and each boat was allowed to weigh two bass, with cumulative weights tallied for each state. The Texas team of Mark Pack and Todd Faircloth placed the biggest bag on the scale with their two fish weighing 15.01 pounds. Contributing to the overall Texas total of 51.45 pounds were teammates Kelly Jordon and Wade Middleton, Cody Bird and Clark Wendlandt, and Jason Reyes and Mike Hawkes. Texas earned two points for their day-one win. 

However, the Oklahoma team of Kenyon Hill and Harmon Davis brought the biggest fish of the day to the scales, a 9.03 pounder. Their two-fish total was 14.80 pounds. Davis said about his big fish, "I was fishing a big spinnerbait in the flooded bushes. That's where a lot of fish are right now." Oklahoma ended up with 41.39 pounds as their team weight today, but their only point came from having the big bass of the day. Other Oklahoma pairs today included Jeff Kriet and Derek Remitz, Fred Roumbanis and John Sappington, and Tommy Biffle and Mike McClelland.

After today's results, Oklahoma finds themselves one point behind but team captain Jeff Kriet is optimistic. "We are going to switch up teams a little for tomorrow. Biffle and Roumbanis will fish together because their flipping styles are similar. On day two, each boat gets to weigh five fish and we need to average 25 pounds per boat."

Texas team captain Kelly Jordon said his team fished well today, but doesn't feel comfortable as of yet. "I don't know what we might do differently tomorrow; we will discuss it in our team meeting tonight. I do think we can bring in 18 to 25 pounds per boat on average tomorrow." 

This new wrinkle to this event's Ryder Cup golf format is a series of sporting challenges each night. Last night to kick it off was bowling and in spite of a fall by teammate Mark Pack, the Texas team prevailed. The first state team to win three sports challenges is awarded on additional point to their overall total. 

For daily standings of this year's Shootout, visit www.CarecoMultimedia.com.