GROVE, Okla. (March 29, 2026) – How do you overcome 30-mph winds that switch directions by the day, dropping air temperatures, bipolar sun and clouds, and ever-changing water conditions and clarity?
“Experience,” T.J. Martin said. “When you spend as much time on Grand Lake as I have, you learn when to zig and when to zag.
“If I had to attribute my success this week to any one thing, it’s that.”
Considering he just overcame some of the most turbulent conditions in memory for a wire-to-wire win at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division event on Grand Lake, it’s safe to believe him.
With conditions changing drastically by the day, Martin managed to adapt in real time throughout. His main area that produced the biggest bag of the event on Day 1 (24 pounds, 14 ounces) was rendered useless by the final day thanks to the water clearing up. And yet, he managed to not just survive but thrive, fishing history and following his gut.
The final day, his main area produced one lone keeper, but he was able to run around to places he hadn’t fished all week to put together an 18-7 bag to take home the title by nearly 10 pounds with 59-11 total. For the win, Martin earned $68,022, and punched his ticket to the Toyota Series Championship this fall.
“I have to keep opening my eyes to make sure I’m not dreaming,” Martin said. “I’ve been wanting to win a major tournament really bad for so long, and it’s even sweeter to do it here at Grand.”
Owning Martin Outdoors and Tackle in Owasso, Oklahoma, the local said he fishes the lake as much as anyone. And that time on the water is really what propelled him when everything changed around him.
His original pattern was bouncing around between Patricia Island and Horse Creek looking for creeks with a key combination of docks, dirty water and bait. He had one particular creek that produced 7- and 5-pounders in practice, and then his 8-1 kicker on Day 1.
All of those fish, and the majority of his fish the first two days, were caught on a ¾-ounce white War Eagle Spinnerbait with double willow blades (gold kicker and silver main). He had a 3.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact Fat as a trailer.
However, the spinnerbait only produced one fish the final morning, prompting him to abandon it.
“I just started running history and what felt right,” Martin said.
Stop one was some rock piles where he filled his limit – including a 5-pounder – with a Gene Larew Biffle Bug (green pumpkin) on a 7/16-ounce Gene Larew Biffle Hardhead. After that, it was moving to spawning pockets, where he upgraded multiple times tossing a 5/16-ounce Jewel Finesse Jig with a Zoom UltraVibe Speed Craw (green pumpkin) to fish he felt were spawning but couldn’t see.
It was that last move that solidified his win and gave him a moment he’ll never forget.
“Around 1 p.m., I caught a 4-pounder and a 3 1/4 in about 10 minutes,” Martin said. “I had some buddies following me today, and when I caught that last fish to get over 18 pounds, I told them everyone else was going to have to catch them. I’d done my job. And that was pretty cool, having them following me around and being there to support me.
“It’s been a bucket-list thing for me for so long, I’ve been so close before. It feels good to finally get it done.”
The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Grand Lake finished:
1st: T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., 15 bass, 59-11, $68,022 (includes $35,000 Phoenix MLF bonus)
2nd: Chris Jones, Bokoshe, Okla., 15 bass, 50-4, $12,602
3rd: Steven Graeber, Omaha, Neb., 15 bass, 49-12, $9,757
4th: Cody Ross, Jefferson, Texas, 15 bass, 49-7, $8,130
5th: Rodney Copeland, Sallisaw, Okla., 15 bass, 48-8, $7,317
6th: Andrew Rickman, Canton, Texas, 15 bass, 48-8, $6,504
7th: Denton Cooper, Smithville, Texas, 15 bass, 47-2, $5,691
8th: Charlie Apperson, Jay, Okla., 15 bass, 46-15, $4,878
9th: Larry Puckett, Decatur, Texas, 15 bass, 46-6, $4,065
10th: Dustn Overton, Oklahoma City, Okla., 15 bass, 46-2, $3,252
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Martin also earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce, while pro Troy O’Rourke of Bentonville, Arkansas, won Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass, weighing in a 6-pound, 5-ounce bass to earn the $500 award.
Bill Ramsey of Huntsville, Arkansas, won the co-angler division Saturday at Grand Lake with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 42 pounds, 10 ounces. Ramsey earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Grand Lake finished:
1st: Bill Ramsey, Huntsville, Ark., 15 bass, 42-10, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Fred Fielder, Afton, Okla., 15 bass, 37-11, $4,150
3rd: Alan Bernicky, Dardanelle, Ark., 13 bass, 37-2, $3,520
4th: James Edmonds, Hot Springs Village, Ark., 13 bass, 33-9, $2,905
5th: Scott Parsons, Rogers, Ark., 15 bass, 33-2, $2,490
6th: Joe Lee, Midlothian, Texas, 14 bass, 32-8, $2,075
7th: Ken Coats, Tulsa, Okla., 12 bass, 32-1, $1,660
8th: Billy Gordon, Catoosa, Okla., 15 bass, 32-1, $1,453
9th: Robert Chavers, Knoxville, Ark., 12 bass, 32-0, $ 1,245
10th: Jason Sandidge, Centerton, Ark., 15 bass, 31-3, $1,038
Co-angler Kevin Younger of Derby, Kansas, earned the first Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of the week on Thursday with a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass to earn the $150 prize, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Lawrence Tidwell of Frisco, Texas, who weighed in a bass totaling 5 pounds, 8 ounces.
The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Grand Lake was hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments for the Toyota Series Southwestern Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be the Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine, March 31 – April 2, in Counce, Tennessee. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.