A field of over 450 anglers comprised of 230 teams came together to fish the 2nd annual Costa Bass Derby on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees the weekend of October 25-26. Freddie Stopp and Rickey Hicks caught a limit of 20.93-lbs to take the top honors for this 2nd annual celebration of Costa Sunglasses and the brand’s support of bass fishing and conservation.
Not only did Hicks and Stopp win an incredible $20,000 payday for winning this amateur only team tournament, but they also were awarded the chance to choose a conservation partner to receive a $1,000 donation made through Costa’s Compete+Conserve contingency program. The winners from Tahlequah, Oklahoma chose the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame to receive the donation, which will directly benefit freshwater conservation efforts.
This conservation payout is a core component of Compete+Conserve, which rewards the highest finishing angler wearing Costa Sunglasses in over 325 bass tournaments each year. Along with the bonus payout or prize for the highest placing fisherman, Costa donates to one of five conservation partners based on the winners’ choice.
2025 marked the second year of the Costa Bass Derby, with Tulsa SCHEELS serving as the retail partner for the event. Costa and SCHEELS rolled out the red carpet for tournament participants; with registration kits valued at over $250 gifted to the first 150 boats to register, along with provided dinner the night before derby day, and a meet and greet with Costa pros Casey Ashley and Jason Christie.
The tournament winners, Hicks and Stopp, are the kind of fishing buddies we all aspire to have. They’ve been good friends and team tournament partners for nearly twenty years. Their shared passion for bass fishing is so linked together that they split the cost of their last two bass boats. The duo developed a system to co-own the boats and use the vessel to chase bass around northeast Oklahoma.
Hicks is a captain at the Tahlequah Fire Department and Stopp owns Ace Yard Company, which specializes in lawncare, landscaping, tree and fence work. They are salt of the earth people who love to spend their days off outdoors and on the water. They caught their fish with a one-two punch type of pattern, crediting old-school tactics and a reliable milk run for their good fortune.
“We are just normal fishermen who love to be on the water,” Hicks said. “We pretty much always fish the same little rotation of spots this time of year. When the fish are there, we do alright. When they aren’t, we struggle. Today the fish were there, and we got to catch them the way we like to… old school!”
“We ran three or four topwater stretches early and caught a couple key fish,” Stopp explained. “That is a hit or miss deal in the fall on Grand, so it was great to have a strong start. Then we went offshore and fished a football jig on some deeper hard spots in 18 to 22-feet of water. We caught the rest of our weight with those jigs and didn’t lose a fish all day.”
Stopp and Hicks fish hit the scales early in the weigh-in but none of the other 230+ teams could overtake their five fish limit of nearly 21-lbs. Both anglers have been wearing Costa Sunglasses for ten years or more and own multiple pairs a piece. Hicks go-to frame is the Tailfin in Blue Mirror lens color, while Stopp wears the Permit with prescription lens with the Blue Mirror.
“Costa has so many options for people with different sized faces and heads. They’re the best sunglasses out there, period,” Stopp said.
Like many of the teams, Hicks and Stopp returned in 2025 after fishing the inaugural event last year. Though they didn’t have a good finish last October, they appreciated the support they felt from the eyewear icon in 2024.
“To have big brands like Costa and SCHEELS put on this event for average anglers like us is super cool,” Hicks said. “We looked forward to this tournament all year and feel fortunate just for the opportunity to fish it, let alone win the whole thing.”
The complete results for the 2025 Costa Bass Derby can be found here. For information on future Costa Bass Derby events, or to learn more about Costa Compete + Conserve, visit https://www.costacompeteandconserve.com/. If you own a pair of Costas, it’s completely free to register and you can win extra payouts if you compete in supported tournaments.
To shop Costa Sunglasses’ full collection of performance, lifestyle and optical eyewear, and learn more about its commitment to conservation, visit costasunglasses.com.
About Costa Sunglasses
More than 40 years ago, a group of anglers created Costa Sunglasses to stand up to the harsh light, unforgiving salt and rough conditions of a day at sea. The gear they made was up to the task, and it’s been on the water ever since. Today, Costa combines its superior 580® lens technology with unparalleled fit and durability to make the highest-quality sunglasses and prescription eyewear for adventures on the water. Committed to protecting the watery world it calls home, sustainability and conservation is woven throughout everything they do. From building products made of responsible materials, to Costa-owned initiatives like Kick Plastic® and #OneCoast, and its partnerships with 40+ mission-aligned conservation organizations, Costa inspires its community to help protect the earth’s resources and #SeeWhatsOutThere. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.
