England comes from behind for co-angler win

Georgia co-angler goes from ninth to first in Stren Series Southeast opener

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Brian England of Lafayette, Ga., started day four of the Stren Series Southeast event in ninth place, more than 5 pounds off the lead.

After weighing in 13 pounds, 15 ounces for a two-day total of 21 pounds, 3 ounces Saturday, England patiently waited on stage for the inevitable: for one of the remaining eight co-anglers to knock him off the lead. But that moment never came.

After the last co-angler weighed in, to his own amazement, England was the last man standing and collected $5,000 for his win.

“All this hasn’t really sunk in, yet,” England said after the win. “I don’t enter these things to win money; I enter them to learn and to be around some really great people for a week. Winning is purely a bonus.”

During the week, England caught his fish on a variety of baits, including a Rat-L-Trap, topwater frog and by flipping.

Today, he fished with pro Rick Ankenbauer and used a black Zoom Trick Worm rigged with a 5/16-ounce weight to catch most of his fish – except for his kicker fish, which weighed over 7 pounds.

“I set the hook on a fish, and it tore my Trick Worm off,” he said. “Instead of putting another Trick Worm on, I put a Senko on, pitched it back in there and the big fish bit.”

Mike Goodman of Nebo, N.C., finished second with a two-day total of 20 pounds, 13 ounces and collected $4,000.

Mark Linn of Sarasota, Fla., finished third with a two-day total of 17 pounds, 12 ounces and took home $3,500.

Fred Hill of Roxboro, N.C., finished fourth with a two-day total of 15 pounds, 14 ounces, worth $2,500.

Judy Israel of Clewiston, Fla., finished fifth with a two-day total of 15 pounds, 5 ounces and collected $2,000.

Rest of the best

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

6th: Skip Reed of Coral Springs, Fla., 14-7, $1,900

7th: Keith Carson of Debary, Fla., 12-9, $1,800

8th: Tom Ridley of Valdosta, Ga., 9-15, $1,700

9th: Scott Jenkins of Franklin. Ga., 9-4, $1,600

10th: Dennis Andersen of Wellington, Fla., 8-12, $1,500