GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Brett Defreitas, a 32-year-old taxidermist from Boaz, Ky., out-fished 111 competitors Saturday to earn $3,993 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s LBL Division event on Barkley Lake.
Defreitas caught five largemouth bass weighing 19 pounds, 4 ounces during the one-day event to top Joe White of Princeton, Ky., who finished with a five-bass catch of 18-6 worth $1,996. Defreitas caught his limit fishing submerged structure in a 500-yard stretch around Moors Marina. He was using a junebug colored worm and crankbait.
Keith Cone of Benton, Ky., took third place and collected $998 with five bass weighing 18-1. Terry Bolton of Paducah, Ky., placed fourth and earned $865 with four bass weighing 16-10, while Bill Barger of Murray, Ky., placed fifth and earned $799 with five bass weighing 14-0.
David Stevens, 38, of Princeton, Ky., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $555 with a 5-pound, 2-ounce largemouth that he caught off a ledge in 14 feet of water. He was using a black and blue jig.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,996 went to Paul Flatt, 54, of Cookeville, Tenn., who topped 111 competitors with five largemouth bass weighing 16-14. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $998 went to Jim Panosh of Owensboro, Ky., with five bass weighing 16-5, while Michael McAtee of Waverly, Ky., took third place and $499 with five bass weighing 14-9.
Shawn Panick of LaGrange, Ill., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $277 with a 6-pound, 3-ounce largemouth that he caught off a 12-foot deep ledge on a black worm.
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, 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.