LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. – Craig McCoy, 36, of Lake Havasu, Ariz., out-fished 41 competitors this weekend to earn $4,190 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Colorado River Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Havasu.
McCoy caught five bass weighing 13 pounds, 9 ounces on opening day to qualify for the second and final day of competition. On day two, he caught five more bass weighing 11-1 to top Mark Rossow of Yuma, Ariz., who finished with a day-two catch of 10-1 worth $2,095. McCoy caught his limits by flipping a brown and purple jig.
Jim Jared of Dolan Springs, Ariz., took third place and collected $1,047 with a day-two catch weighing 7-2. Jayson Kisselburg of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., placed fourth and earned $908 with a day-two catch weighing 6-3.
Jamey Hamacek, 42, of Buena Park, Calif., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $400 with a 4-pound, 4-ounce bass that he caught from the main lake.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,095 went to Gil Lillard, 53, of Mohave Valley, Ariz., who topped 40 competitors with a day-two catch of three bass weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Lillard caught 8 pounds, 6 ounces of bass on opening day to qualify for the final round.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,047 went to Kirk Beardsley of Orange, Calif., with a day-two catch weighing 4-1, while Debbie Blanchard of Lake Havasu, City, Ariz., took third place and $524 with a day-two catch weighing 3-11. Blanchard, 48, also won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $200 with a 3-pound, 6-ounce bass caught on opening day.
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.
Red Man became the trail’s title sponsor in 1983. Wal-Mart recently announced that it has assumed title sponsorship of the tournament series for 2001 and will rename it the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League.