Empty-handed Martin claims co-angler win at Toledo Bend

Texas co-angler wins despite last-day goose egg

HEMPHILL, Texas – As Blake Martin of Hemphill, Texas, sat through the Co-angler Division weigh-in on the final day of the Stren Series Texas Division event on Toledo Bend, his hands shook, his stomach knotted up, and sweat poured from his forehead.

Martin looked more like he was in front of a judge and jury for a life sentence rather than a bass tournament weigh-in.

The young man’s anguish, unbeknown to everyone at the weigh-in except him, was due to the fact that he had not landed a single keeper fish on the final day at Toledo Bend. And though he enjoyed nearly a 12-pound lead going into the final day, with each co-angler that weighed in, Martin turned whiter than liquid paper.

But amazingly, in the end, no one could catch Martin, the son of legendary Hemphill pro Tommy Martin. He had built up such a lead in the first three days of fishing – 40 pounds, 2 ounces – that no co-angler could dethrone him, despite not weighing in a fish on day four.

“I’m glad no one caught enough to remove me from the leader’s chair because I don’t have a fish,” Martin announced to the crowd when it was his turn to weigh in. “I’ve been over there shaking, sweating and generally freaking out for the last 30 minutes – I mean, I was literally ill. I can’t believe this has happened.”

Martin collected $5,000 for his win and said he was going to donate a portion of it to charity while putting the rest into savings.

“I really have to thank my dad for this win,” Martin said of his father. “He’s been taking me fishing since I was a kid, and he has taught me a lot of his tricks, and believe me, I used them this week.”

Rest of the best

Michael Savage of Clever, Mo., finished second with a four-day total of 37 pounds, 14 ounces and collected $3,391.

Bo Middleton of Elgin, Okla., caught the biggest stringer on day four in the Co-angler Division – 11 pounds, 1 ounce – to finish third with a four-day total of 33 pounds, 1 ounce, worth $2,756.

Wesley Schubert of Conroe, Texas, finished fourth with 30 pounds, 10 ounces for $2,120.

Tim Achee of Hemphill, Texas, rounded out the top five with 27 pounds, 8 ounces, worth $1,696.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers on the final day of the Stren Series event on Toledo Bend:

6th: Jacob Brown of Clyde, Texas, four-day total of 26-13, $1,611

7th: Brian Branum of Longview, Texas, four-day total of 26-8, $1,525

8th: Bill Guillory of Jasper, Texas, four-day total of 25-1, $1,442

9th: Rich Dalbey of Greenville, Texas, four-day total of 24-12, $1,355

10th: Bill Rogers of Jasper, Texas, four-day total of 20-14, $1,273