Ryan Chandler of Hobart, Ind., will never forget the 1997 Wal-Mart FLW Tour event on Kentucky Lake, when he lost the co-angler title by just 10 ounces and finished second.

After the heartbreaking defeat, Chandler took a hiatus from the FLW Tour until May 2003, when he returned to take back what he felt was rightfully his – a co-angler title on Kentucky Lake.

Now he will never forget the 2003 FLW Tour event, where he narrowly beat out runner-up Rodney Chmolack of Phenix City, Ala., by just 5 ounces.

“I feel bad for the guy (Chmolack), I really do, because I have been there before,” Chandler said. “But I just love Kentucky Lake; I have been fishing tournaments here since 1996, and I felt I was due.”

Chandler fished with Aaron Martens of Castaic, Calif., on day one and claimed the co-angler’s big-bass award with a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass that anchored his day-one catch of four bass weighing 12 pounds, 13 ounces.

“Aaron is just an awesome guy to fish with,” Chandler said. “I owe him a lot of credit. I would not have made the top 10 without him.”

On day two, he fished with Bob Plemmons of Kernersville, N.C., and caught three bass that weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce, which put him in fifth and lined him up with eventual tournament winner Steve Kennedy.

During the first two days, Chandler flipped a Zoom Speed Worm (sapphire blue) on 25-pound-test line and a 5/16-ounce weight. On the last day, he Carolina-rigged a Senko in green pumpkin.

Chandler, who just bought a house, says he will use the $15,000 to put a dent in the mortgage.