Webb wins by 2 ounces

Co-angler Division of Stren Southeast turns into nail-biter finish

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Chuck Webb of Sarasota, Fla., caught the only five-bass limit from the back of the boat on day four of the Okeechobee Stren Series Southeast event, and he needed every single scale of those fish.

Webb’s limit, weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces, took him from third place to the winner’s circle by just 2 ounces over day-three leader Ralph Myhlhousen of Orlando, Fla.

For his four-day winning catch of 35 pounds, 3 ounces, Webb took home $5,000 and a Ranger boat.

“That’s the closest I’ve ever been to passing out,” Webb said of the tense moment when Myhlhousen put his only keeper in the scales and came up 2 ounces short.

During the week, Webb fished around Horse Island, Indian Prairie Canal and Pelican Bay with his pro partners.

Today, he was paired with Scott Browning and spent the day in Pelican Bay fishing a Gambler 10-inch worm teamed with a 1/4-ounce weight tied to 15-pound Maxima Chameleon line.

“I only had two fish at 1 o’clock, and suddenly they turned on,” Webb said. “Both Scott and I started catching them pretty good for about 45 minutes. In that time, I finished out my limit.”

High five co-anglers

Myhlhousen was runner-up with a four-day total of 35 pounds, 1 ounce worth $4,000.

All week Myhlhousen fished a weightless Fluke to lead going into Saturday’s finals. But today he drew pro winner Glenn Browne, who was fishing canals, making Myhlhousen’s weightless Fluke a tough sell.

Brady Nelson of Palmetto, Fla., finished third with a four-day total of 30-13 and received a check for $3,250.

Aaron Fahnestock of Enterprise, Ala., finished fourth with a four-day total of 30-12, taking home $2,500, and Al Reed of Tequesta, Fla., finished fifth with a four-day total of 30-10 for $3,250.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the Stren Series event on Okeechobee

6th: Austin Spurlin of Fayetteville, Ga., four-day total of 30-08, $1,900

7th: Danielle Kremer of Osteen, Fla., four-day total of 30-03, $1,800

8th: Brantley Peoples of Raleigh, N.C., four-day total of 29-09, $1,700

9th: John Sisson of Brookeville, Md., four-day total of 27-06, $1,600

10th: Brad Pegram of Henderson, N.C., four-day total of 26-12, $1,500