PROSPERITY, S.C. – Johnny Houser of Bishopville, S.C., out-fished 77 competitors this weekend to earn $6,387 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Carolina Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Murray.
Houser caught five bass weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces on opening day to qualify for the second and final day of competition. On day two, he caught five more bass weighing 8-14 to top Maurice Freeze of Kannapolis, N.C., who finished with a day-two catch of five bass weighing 7-15 worth $3,194. Houser caught his limit both days by flipping a tube jig in shallow water.
Tracy Schiff of McConnell, S.C., took third place and collected $1,597 with a day-two catch of four bass weighing 5-8. Robert Walser of Lexington, N.C., placed fourth and earned $1,384 with a day-two catch of four bass weighing 4-12, while Wally Szuba of Cary, N.C., placed fifth and earned $1,278 with a day-two catch of three bass weighing 3-7.
Walser was declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000 after amassing 188 points through five regular season events.
Szuba won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $770 with a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass that he caught on opening day with a spinnerbait.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,152 went to Keith Thomason of Abbeville, S.C., who topped 76 competitors with a day-two catch of four bass weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Thomason caught one bass weighing 3-1 on opening day to qualify for the final round.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,576 went to Brian Seagraves of Greensboro, N.C., with a day-two catch of one bass weighing 2-1. Seagraves also amassed more points than any other co-angler during five regular season events to win the Co-Angler Divisional Points title and $500. He earned 188 points this season.
Co-angler Mark Cummings of Maxton, N.C., took third place and $788 with a day-two catch of one bass weighing 13 ounces.
Joe Madden of North Charleston, S.C., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $380 with a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass that he caught on a green pumpkin-colored tube bait.
The trail’s championship event, the Red Man All-American, will award $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. Overall, more than $5.7 million could be awarded in 2000 based on full fields in each of the series’ 119 events nationwide.