ELM GROVE, La. – Jeff Pate of Heflin, La., out-fished 102 competitors Saturday to earn $3,774 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Cowboy Division event on the Red River.
Pate caught five largemouth bass weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces during the one-day event to top Tommy Murray of Hurst, Texas, who finished with a five-bass catch of 16-9 worth $1,887. Pate caught his limit on a Texas-rigged lizard that he worked around fallen trees and brush.
Cody Bird of Granbury, Texas, took third place and collected $944 with five bass weighing 15-13. Eddie Shaw of Dubberly, La., placed fourth and earned $818 with five bass weighing 15-11, while Marvin Ettredge of Shreveport, La., placed fifth and earned $755 with five bass weighing 15-10.
Ettredge also won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $510 with a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass that he caught on green pumpkin colored Brush Hog.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,887 went to John Peebles of Seabrook, Texas, who topped 102 competitors with five largemouth bass weighing 13-3. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $944 went to Jimmy Hickman of Shreveport, La., with five bass weighing 12-0, while David Cortinas of Cedar Hill, Texas, took third place and $472 with five bass weighing 11-15.
John Hand of Hurst, Texas, won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $255 with a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass that he caught on a blue flake Power Worm.
James Schlachter of Red Oak, Texas, won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures. He caught five bass weighing 8-14.
Overall, 532 bass weighing 1,061 pounds were caught, including 53 five-bass limits.
The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 16-17 on Lake Sam Rayburn, will be declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.