GOLCONDA, Ill. – Marty Sisk of Evansville, Ind., out-fished 115 competitors Saturday to earn $4,136 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Illini Division event on the Ohio River Smithland Pool near Golconda, Ill.
Sisk caught five bass weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces during the one-day event to top Steve Englum of Paris, Ill., and Jeff Henson of Bloomington, Ill., who tied for second with five-bass limits weighing 12-8 worth $1,551. Sisk caught his limit in the Saline River off of laydowns in 3 to 4 feet of water. He was casting a green-pumpkin colored baby brush hog.
Don Wagner of Boonville, Ind., took third place and collected $896 with five bass weighing 12-2. S.T. Hosick of Rosiclare, Ill., placed fourth and earned $827 with four bass weighing 11-10, while Greg Berner of Elkville, Ill., placed fifth and earned $689 with five bass weighing 11-8.
Mark Jordan of Kevil, Ky., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $575 with a 5-pound, 13-ounce largemouth that he caught on a black and blue jig.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,869 went to Greg Cooper of Springfield, Ill., who topped 101 competitors with four bass weighing 10-11. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $934 went to Jeffery Deright of Mt. Pulaski, Ill., for five bass weighing 9-10, while Timothy Mott of Bloomington, Ill., took third place and $467 with five bass weighing 8-11.
James O’Conkle of Rosiclare, Ill., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $252 with a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass he caught on a black and chartreuse jig.
On July 22, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit Lake Shelbyville for the third of five events in the Illini Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 23-24 on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa, 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.