Jasper, Texas, – Jeff Buchanan of Lufkin, Texas, out-fished the competition Saturday to earn $6,000 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points in the boater division of the Red Man Tournament Trail Cowboy Division season opener on Lake Sam Rayburn.
Buchanan caught five bass weighing 28 pounds, 13 ounces during the one-day event to edge out Cody Bird of Granbury, Texas, who finished with a five-bass catch of 25-4 worth $3,000. Buchanan was casting a white and chartreuse spinnerbait and a rattletrap into grass in 3 to 9 feet of water and ridges about 12-to 20-feet deep. His biggest fish, a 9-pound, 3-ounce largemouth earned him the tournament’s Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $1,000.
Ray Beck of Beaumont, Texas, placed third and collected $1,500 for five bass weighing 22-0. He was followed by Malcolm Rachal of Alexandria, La., who earned $1,300 for five bass weighing 19-13; Toby Davis Jr. of Tyler, Texas, who received $1,100 for five bass weighing 19-6; and Carl Svebek of Sam Rayburn, Texas, who also earned $1,100 for five bass weighing 19-6.
First place in the co-angler division and $3,000 went to Clay Henry of Many, La., for five bass weighing 15-1. Second place in the co-angler division and $1,500 went to Dean Gilbert of Sherman, Texas, for five bass weighing 14-11, while Matt Cannon of Troy, Texas, took third place and $750 with five bass weighing 13-14.
Big bass in the co-angler division went to Scott Hanten of San Antonio, Texas, and Bill Langley of Mineola, Texas, who each received $250 from Abu Garcia for a 6-pound, 1-ounce largemouth.
On March 4, the Red Man Tournament Trail travels to Toledo Bend Reservoir for the second of five events in the Cowboy Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 16-17, is declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season receives $500.
Operation Bass was founded in 1979 on the principle that working anglers should be able to fish competitively without interfering with jobs and family. The trail’s championship event, the Red Man All-American, awards $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. The highest placing CITGO Divisional Points Champion at the All-American receives $10,000 in the boater division and $2,500 in the co-angler division. Overall, more than $5.7 million could be awarded in 2000 based on full fields in each of the series’ 119 events nationwide.
Red Man became the trail’s title sponsor in 1983. Additional sponsors of the 2000 season are: Abu Garcia, BC Headache Powder, Black & Decker, Chevy Trucks, CITGO, Coleman, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Frenzy, Garmin, Poulan/Weed Eater, Power Bait, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Stren, Timex, Visa USA and Wrangler.