GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Terry Bolton, 30, of Paducah, Ky., out-fished 74 competitors this weekend to earn $6,138 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s LBL Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on Kentucky Lake.
Bolton caught four bass weighing 14 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 13-9 to top David Rosengrant of Dover, Tenn., who finished with a day-two catch of 8-0 worth $3,069. Bolton, who fished topwater early then switched to flipping docks in the afternoon, caught his bass using a Super Spook Jr. and a tubebait.
Jerry Hunter of Cadiz, Ky., took third place and collected $1,525 with a day-two catch weighing 5-7. Billy Schroeder placed fourth and earned $1,330 with a day-two catch weighing 2-6, while Rodney Brown of Eddyville, Ky., placed fifth and earned $1,228 with a day-two catch weighing 2-3.
Rosengrant won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $740 with a 5-pound, 11-ounce smallmouth bass that he caught on a lizard in about 15 feet of water.
Bolton was declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000 after amassing 262 points through five regular season events.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,069 went to Chad Fox of Lewisburg, Tenn., who topped 74 competitors with a day-two catch of one bass weighing 3 pounds, 12 ounces. Fox caught two bass weighing 8-7 on opening day to qualify for the final round.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,535 went to Ray Norwood of Paris, Tenn., with a day-two catch weighing 2-8, while James Backer of Henderson, Ky., took third place and $767 with a day-two catch weighing 2-2. Backer 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 180 points this season.
Fox won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $370 with a 5-pound, 12-ounce largemouth bass that he caught on a worm in about 5 feet of water.
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.