Wood winds in co-angler title on Okeechobee

Last-minute cast with crankbait nets Florida co-angler $20,000

CLEWISTON, Fla. – Rookie Robert Wood of Jupiter, Fla., won the Co-angler Division of the Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern event on Lake Okeechobee with a three-day total of 34 pounds, 14 ounces and collected $20,000 for his win.

“What an awesome feeling,” Wood said after surviving the back-deck efforts of 199 other co-anglers and ending up on top. “During the whole event I never thought about winning. I just went fishing each day. My goal was to catch about 10 pounds a day, and that’s what I did.”

During the week, Wood fished with pros Mary Divincenti, Steve Wilson and Greg Bohannan.

“I mostly fished in the rim canal and the Kissimmee River,” Wood said. “I never got to go to the main lake.”

Wood’s success came on a shaky head the first day, a Carolina-rigged Gambler Sweebo worm (red bug) the second day and a crankbait the third day.

“My last fish today was the one that did it for me,” Wood said. “We left the Kissimmee River, and I only had three bass. And right before check-in we stopped on one last spot, and I cast out a Gambler custom-made crankbait in a Splattered Horton color and hooked a 3-pounder – that’s the one that put me over the top.”

Kurth collects runner-up finish

Ben Kurth of West St. Paul, Minn., finished in second place with a three-day total of 33 pounds, 14 ounces worth $10,000.

Kurth fished in the canals and rivers adjacent to Okeechobee with a shaky head and Carolina rig.

Rest of the best

Tom Ridley of Valdosta, Ga., finished third with a three-day total of 33 pounds, 10 ounces for $9,000.

Ryan Kidd of Wetumpka, Ala., landed the fourth-place spot with a three-day total of 33 pounds, 9 ounces worth $8,000.

Derrick Snavely of Rogersville, Tenn., rounded out the top five with a three-day total of 33 pounds worth $7,000.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the FLW Series Eastern on Lake Okeechobee:

6th: Matt Greenblatt of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., with a three-day total of 32-6, $6,000

7th: Brent Cantville of Plantation, Fla., with a three-day total of 32-1, $5,000

8th: Cleveland Stephens of Lebanon, Tenn., with a three-day total of 31-12, $4,000

9th: Masayuki Matsushita of Aichi, Japan, with a three-day total of 31-2, $3,000

10th: Jon Newman of Brielle, N.J., with a three-day total of 30-13, $2,000

Big bass

Dennis Sprayberry of Lehigh Acres, Fla., caught the big bass in the Co-angler Division on day three weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces.