STOCKTON, Mo. – Roger Fitzpatrick, 35, of Eldon, Mo., out-fished 102 competitors Saturday to earn $3,774 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Plains Division event on Lake Stockton.
Fitzpatrick caught five largemouth bass weighing 18 pounds, 6 ounces during the one-day event to top Bernard Thoenen of Centertown, Mo., who finished with a five-bass catch of 17-5 worth $1,887. Fitzpatrick caught his limit, including a 6-pound, 13-ounce lunker off rock banks using a yellow Wiggle Wart. Thoenen, however, won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $510 for an 8-pound, 6-ounce largemouth he caught while dragging a green-pumpkin Chomper in 2 feet of water near the State Park.
Dan Ferguson of Elwood, Neb. took third place and collected $944 for five bass weighing 16-8. Max Killion Jr. of Wichita, Kan., placed fourth and earned $818 for five bass weighing 16-5, while David McCormick of Shawnee, Kan., placed fifth and earned $755 for five bass weighing 15-8.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,850 went to Ronald Spradley, 44, of Barnhart, Mo., who topped 97 competitors with five bass weighing 16-0. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $925 went to Mike Beezley of Springfield, Mo., for five bass weighing 14-2, while David Dunham of Nixa, Mo., took third place and $463 with five bass weighing 12-14.
Eddie Silvey, 41, of Russelville, Mo., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $242 for a 7-pound, 8-ounce bass he on a Carolina-rigged Zoom lizard.
Dave Standage of Springfield, Mo., won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures. He caught five bass weighing 14-5.
On May 20, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit Grand Lake for the third of five events in the Plains Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 9-10 on Lake Truman, will be declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.