Sumpter wins Red Man event on Lake Cumberland

Third-place pro H.C. Sumpter of Nancy, Ky., hoists a whale from his 11-pound, 8-ounce stringer on day two. Photo by Jeff Schroeder. Angler: H C Sumpter.

June 2, 2000 • MLF • Archives

RUSSELL SPRINGS, Ky. – H.C. Sumpter, 38, of Nancy, Ky., out-fished 95 competitors Saturday to earn $3,624 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Mountain Division event on Lake Cumberland.

Sumpter caught five largemouth bass weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces during the one-day event to top his closest competitor, Karl Snyder of Cincinnati, who finished with a two-bass catch of 8-5 worth $1,812. Sumpter caught his limit among trees and bushes along the main river by using a jerkbait and Berkley worm.

Chris Burton of Somerset, Ky., took third place and collected $900 with three bass weighing 7-14. John Devere of Berea, Ky., placed fourth and earned $785 with four bass weighing 7-13, while Joby Gossett of Nancy, Ky., placed fifth and earned $725 with four bass weighing 7-10.

Keith Sickler, 37, of Cincinnati won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $475 with a 4-pound, 14-ounce smallmouth that he caught while flipping a jig.

First place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,812 went to William Hayes, 34, of Dunville, Ky., who topped 95 competitors with five bass weighing 12-11. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $906 went to Ray Reynolds of Crossville, Tenn., for four bass weighing 7-9, while Gary Melson of Louisville, Ky., took third place and $453 with three bass weighing 6-1.

Jason Hutchins of Lebanon, Ky., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $237 with a 3-pound, 8-ounce bass that he caught on a blue and black jig.

Overall, 182 bass weighing 355 pounds, 2 ounces were caught during the tournament, including two five-bass limits.

On July 15, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit the Ohio River for the fourth of five events in the Mountain 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 Barren River, 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.

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.