Gill wins Arkie Division event on Arkansas River
DUMAS, Ark. – Jim Gill, 38, of Stuttgart, Ark., out-fished 114 competitors Saturday to earn $4,101 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail Arkie Division event on the Arkansas River.
Gill caught five largemouth bass weighing 22 pounds, 1 ounce during the one-day event to edge out rookie Martin Whitaker, 19, of Hensley, Ark., who finished with a five-bass catch of 19-6 worth $2,050. Gill caught his limit, including a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass, casting a lizard into shallow water around Moors Bayou. Gill also won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures in either division.
Whitaker, however, won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $570 for a 6-pound, 14-ounce bass that he caught off a submerged stump in the Merisach area of the lake.
Terry Hopson of Pine Bluff, Ark., took third place and collected $1,025 for five bass weighing 19-0. Bart Burgess of Coy, Ark., placed fourth and earned $889 for five bass weighing 18-5, while Steven Powell of Cabot, Ark., placed fifth and earned $820 for four bass weighing 17-10.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,050 went to Jeff Hicks, 35, of Sheridan, Ark., who topped 114 competitors with five smallmouth bass weighing 14-14. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,025 went to Rickey Bailey of Rison, Ark., for five bass weighing 14-5, while Eric Ambort of Bee Branch, Ark., took third place and $513 with four bass weighing 14-4.
Ambort, a 17-year-old rookie, also won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $285 for a 6-pound bass he caught on a crankbait in Pendleton Pool.
On April 29, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit Lake Dardanelle for the third of five events in the Arkie Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 9-10 on the Arkansas River, 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.
Weldon wins Bama Division opener on Lake Martin
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. – Trip Weldon of Wetumpka, Ala., out fished 200 competitors Saturday to earn $6,000 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail Bama Division opener on Lake Martin.
Weldon caught five largemouth bass weighing 17 pounds during the one-day event to surpass Mark Meyer of Hanceville, Ala., who finished with a five-bass catch of 16-1 worth $3,000. Weldon caught his limit, including a 5-pound, 8-ounce lunker that earned him the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $1,000, on gambler tubes and green floating worms.
Steve Kennedy of Dadeville, Ala., took third place and collected $1,500 for five bass weighing 13-8. Matthew Herren of Trussville, Ala., placed fourth and earned $1,300 for five bass weighing 12-15, while Coby Carden of Shelby, Ala., placed fifth and earned $1,200 for five bass weighing 11-3.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,000 went to Jeff Wolfe of Douglasville, Ga., who topped 200 competitors with five largemouth bass weighing 10-12. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,500 went to Tom Willisford of Lilburn, Ga., for five bass weighing 10-2, while Edmond Brown of Trion, Ga., took third place and $750 with five bass weighing 9-10.
Mark Matthews of Ohatchee, Ala., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $500 for a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass he caught flipping a black and brown jig.
On April 29, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit Weiss Lake for the second of five events in the Bama Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 23-24 on Neely Henry Lake, 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.
Rhoades wins LBL Division opener on Kentucky Lake
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Tim Rhoades of Bowling Green, Ky., out-fished 169 competitors Saturday to earn $5,417 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail LBL Division opener on Kentucky Lake.
Rhoades caught five bass weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces during the one-day event to edge out Mark Jordan of Kevil, Ky., who finished with a four-bass catch of 13-14 worth $2,708.
Britt Cone of Benton, Ky., took third place and collected $1,354 for five bass weighing 13-3. William Jasper of Millington, Tenn., placed fourth and earned $1,174 for four bass weighing 12-10, while Terry Bolton of Paducah, Ky., placed fifth and earned $1,083 for five bass weighing 12-8.
Rick Murphy, 40, of Plainfield, Ind., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $845 for a 7-pound, 15-ounce bass that he caught while slow rolling a chartreuse and white spinnerbait.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,708 went to John Duwel, 40, of Cincinnati, Ohio, who topped 169 competitors with two bass weighing 11-10. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,354 went to Victor Woeltz of Paducah, Ky., for two bass weighing 11-0, while Crispin Powley of Paris, Tenn., took third place and $677 with two bass weighing 10-6.
Ricky McAlexander of Huntington, Tenn., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $422 for a 9-pound, 3-ounce behemoth that he caught on a spinnerbait in Eddy Creek.
On April 22, the Red Man Tournament Trail will return to Kentucky Lake for the second of five events in the LBL Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 30-Oct. 1 on Kentucky Lake, 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.
Bates wins Mississippi event on Pickwick Lake
PICKWICK DAM, Tenn. – Terry Bates of Greenville, Miss., out-fished 118 competitors Saturday to earn $4,244 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail Mississippi Division event on Pickwick Lake.
Bates caught five bass weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces during the one-day event to edge out Richard Kee of Somerville, Tenn., who finished with a five-bass catch of 12-7 worth $2,122. Bates caught his limit, including a 4-pound, 1-ounce bass around shallow stumps in the Yellow and Indian Creeks. He also won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures.
Birch Bankston of Columbia, Miss., took third place and collected $1,061 for five bass weighing 12-6. Hank Perkins of Collinsville, Miss., placed fourth and earned $920 for five bass weighing 12-3, while Mitch Black of Jackson, Miss., placed fifth and earned $849 for five bass weighing 11-14.
Dennis Kirby of Memphis, Tenn., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $590 for a 5-pound, 6-ounce largemouth that he caught slow rolling a spinnerbait.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,032 went to Richard White of Guntown, Miss., who topped 113 competitors with five bass weighing 10-5. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,016 went to Joel Ross of Brandon, Miss., for five bass weighing 9-12, while Shane Batton of Jackson, Miss., took third place and $508 with five bass weighing 7-12.
Chuck Jones of Jackson, Tenn., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $282 for a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass he caught casting a 3/8-ounce Strike King jig.
On April 15, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit Ross Barnett Reservoir for the third of five events in the Mississippi Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 30-Oct. 1 on Lake Ferguson, 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.
Hill wins Okie Division opener on Grand Lake
GROVE, Okla. – Argyle Hill of Grove, Okla., out fished 200 competitors Saturday to earn $6,000 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail Okie Division opener on Grand Lake.
Hill caught five bass weighing 26 pounds, 1 ounce during the one-day event to win by a sizable margin over Adam Wright of Benton, Ark., who finished with a four-bass catch of 16-13 worth $3,000. Hill caught his limit on a chartreuse Frenzy crankbait near rocky banks in 7 to 8 feet of water.
Glen Wagner Sr. of Broken Arrow, Okla., took third place and collected $1,500 for five bass weighing 16-3. Sam Newby of Pocola, Okla., placed fourth and earned $1,300 for five bass weighing 15-11. Fifth place and $1,100 went to Norman Barton Jr. of Vian, Okla., for five bass weighing 14-9 and to Joe Dorr of Waldron, Ark., for four bass of the same weight.
Robert White of Moore, Okla., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $1,000 for a 6-pound, 14-ounce bass that he caught on a green Fire Tiger.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,000 went to Don Turner of Tulsa, Okla., who topped 200 competitors with five bass weighing 12-11. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,500 went Craig Kissinger of Cameron, Okla., for four bass weighing 11-3, while Randy Graham of Wagoner, Okla., took third place and $750 with five bass weighing 9-15.
Mark Borchers of Akron, Iowa, won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $500 for an 8-pound, 5-ounce bass he caught on a red and black crankbait.
On May 6, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit Fort Gibson Lake for the second of five events in the Okie Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 30-Oct. 1 on Grand Lake, 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.