LUCAS, Ky. – Stephen Whitaker, 34, of Scottsville, Ky., earned $6,304 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Mountain Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on the Barren River.
Whitaker caught four bass weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces on opening day to qualify for the second and final day of competition. On day two, he caught three bass weighing 8-12 to top Don Stinson of Scottsville, Ky., who finished with a day-two catch of 8-1 worth $3,152. Whitaker caught his bass on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits in Walnut Creek.
Gerald Williams of Scottsville, Ky., took third place and collected $1,576 with a day-two catch weighing 4-1. JR Gowen of Hodgenville, Ky., placed fourth and earned $1,366 with a day-two catch weighing 3-10, while Mike Devere of Berea, Ky., placed fifth and earned $1,261 despite coming up fishless on day-two. Devere caught three bass weighing 8-12 on opening day. He also won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division with a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass that he caught on a homemade spinnerbait.
Ronnie Grant of Columbia, Ky., was declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000 after amassing 181 points through five regular season events.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,903 went to Kevin Hewitt of Somerset, Ky., with a day-two catch weighing 2 pounds. Hewitt caught two bass weighing 3-14 on opening day to qualify for the final round.
Bruce Morrison, 35, of Pikeville, Ky., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award with a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass that he caught on a Texas-rigged worm in Peter Creek.
Brett Underwood of Campbellsville, Ky., amassed more points than any other co-angler during five regular season events to win the Co-Angler Divisional Points title and $500. Underwood earned 248 points this season.
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.