As much as I love to compete on the Bassmaster Elite Series, it is nice to bring it down a few notches and enjoy a more relaxed element of the fishing industry. I got a good dose of this over the Labor Day weekend during the Jason Christie Children’s Fishing Derby, which was part of the Cherokee National Holiday.

This annual event brings together all the Cherokee tribes and visitors from all over to the Cherokee Nation capital in Tahlequah, Okla. There are all kinds of activities from softball and volleyball tournaments, to arts and crafts, a rodeo, an inter-tribal

It's shaping up to be quite a month for professional anglers from the state of Oklahoma.

Last week, Bradley Hallman and Zack Birge finished 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the FLW Tour event at Georgia's Lake Lanier. Now, fellow Sooner State residents Jason Christie and Edwin Evers sit atop the opening-round standings in the 48th Bassmaster Classic at Lake Hartwell in South Carolina.

Christie, who finished 2nd to traveling partner Evers two years ago at Grand Lake in their home state, caught day 1's lone 20-pound stringer. His 20-14 haul gave him a 1-05 advantage over Evers and a larger

GREENVILLE, S.C. — After one day of fishing on Lake Hartwell, the leaderboard for the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods has a familiar look.
 
Oklahoma angler Jason Christie leads the way, with Edwin Evers — a fellow Okie and Christie’s roommate on the Bassmaster Elite Series — sitting close behind in second.
 
Christie said a change in strategy near the mid-point of Day 1 helped him to his tournament-best weight of 20 pounds, 14 ounces.