Blaylock blasts to the top
Berkley co-angler takes overdue FLW Series win
FLORENCE, Ala. – In the last two years in FLW Tour and FLW Series competition, Berkley co-angler Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., has finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 10th. Each time he has stood on stage at the final moments of weigh-in anticipating his win, only to have victory snatched away at the last minute.
And with each gut-wrenching defeat, the 20-year old angler, who has the poise of a professional beyond his years, only smiles and says with confidence, “Someday it will be my turn.”
Well Blaylock’s turn finally came today when he won the Co-angler Division of the FLW Series BP Eastern Division event on Lake Pickwick.
“I don’t even know if I can talk; I’m pretty weak, nervous and excited all the same time right now,” said an exasperated Blaylock on stage. “I just don’t know what to think.”
“Each time I had a near miss, I just knew in my heart that his day was coming,” he added. “I’m pretty happy about it right now.”
Blaylock’s week, however, did not start out headed for victory lane. In fact, he 
zeroed on the first day of competition. But he righted the ship after fishing with pro leader Mark Rose on day two, catching 13 pounds, 8 ounces.
That put Blaylock in fourth place going into day three.
Today, he fished with fellow Berkley pro George Jeane, Jr., to sack up an impressive 14 pounds, 1 ounce – the biggest weight caught by a co-angler in three days of competition. His three day total came to 27 pounds, 9 ounces.
Blaylock’s winning combination consisted of a Fenwick Elite Tech jig stroking rod, a Revo STX reel, 15-pound test Trilene 100% fluorocarbon tied to a 5/8-ounce football head jig made by Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers, Ark.
He teamed the football jig with a Berkley Chunky Chunk in green pumpkin.
For his win, Blaylock collected $25,000, putting him at nearly $100,000 in winnings.
Edward Gildernew of Zelienople, Pa., finished second with a three-day total of 24 pounds, 3 ounces.
“I’m happy with my second place finish,” Gildernew said. “It’s been a long three days.”
“I fished with Jason Knapp today and I just want to say what a classy pro he is. We went up to Wheeler and I caught one a Stanley Ribbit and then later in the day I had another nice fish hooked on a jig, but he jumped and shook off. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Gildernew collected $9,131.00 for his finish.
Randy Clark of Pascagoula, Miss., finished third with a three-day total of 20 pounds, 3 ounces worth $8,217.
Clark caught most of his weight on day three, three bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces.
“I caught one on a Rapala DT-10, one on a horsey head and one on a Super Spook in a 
speckled trout color.”
About his choice of Spook color, Clark joked, “It’s a little known fact that there is a big run of speckled trout through Lake Pickwick this time of year and the bass feed on them. That’s kind of a secret deal, though, so don’t tell anybody.”
Kevin Koone of Greenbrier, Ark., finished fourth with a three-day total of 19 pounds, 14 ounces worth $7,305.
Gilbert Herald of Pittsburg, Texas, finished fifth with a three-day total of 19, 4 ounces worth $6,391.
Big bass
Matt Greenblatt of Oldsmar, Fla., caught the big bass in the Co-Angler Division on day two weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top-10 co-anglers in the FLW Series BP Eastern Division event on Lake Pickwick:
6th: Mark Phillips of Fayetteville, Ark., three-day total of 18-14, $5478
7th: Jonathan Edwards of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., three-day total of 17-0, $4566
8th: Brad Rodrigue of Pierre Part, La., three-day total of 16-10, $3,653
9th: Chuck Thurlow of Auburn, Ala., three-day total of 16-5, $2738
10th: Bob Bjorklund of Centennial, Col., three-day total of 15-15, $1825