TRENTON, Mich. – Barry Bucciarelli of Romulus, Mich., out-fished 65 competitors this weekend to earn $5,738 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Michigan Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on the Detroit River.
Bucciarelli caught five smallmouth bass weighing 19 pounds, 14 ounces on opening day to qualify for the second and final day of competition. On day two, he caught five more smallmouth weighing 21-9 to top Randy Sparkman of Taylor, Mich., who finished with a day-two catch of five bass weighing 19-3 worth $2,869. Bucciarelli caught his limits using a tubebait on the river, while Sparkman opted to fish Lake St. Clair.
Paul Rambo of Brighton, Mich., took third place and collected $1,435 with a day-two catch weighing 15-8. Mike Trombly of Perryburg, Ohio, placed fourth and earned $1,244 with a day-two catch weighing 14-0, while Frank Johnson of Grand Haven, Mich., placed fifth and earned $1,148 with a day-two catch weighing 7-14. Dan Kimmel of Lansing, Mich., placed sixth and collected $956 with a day-two catch weighing 1-12.
Sparkman won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $650 with a 5-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth.
David Reault of Livonia, Mich., was declared the Divisional Points Champion in the Boater Division and awarded $1,000 after amassing 227 points through five regular season events.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,781 went to William Goodman of Coldwater, Mich., who topped 62 competitors with a day-two catch of five smallmouth bass weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces. Goodman caught five smallmouth weighing 21-4 on opening day to qualify for the final round. He also amassed more points than any other co-angler during five regular season events to win the Co-Angler Divisional Points title and $500. Goodman earned 241 points this season.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,390 went to Ralph Blasey of Pinckney, Mich., with a day-two catch weighing 18-9, while Jeremy Hewkin of Zion, Ill., took third place and $695 with a day-two catch weighing 18-2.
Goodman won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $310 with a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass that he caught on a tubebait.
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.