Wood wins co-angler title at Wheeler

Florida co-angler sacks up 13-1 on final day for victory

DECATUR, Ala. – Robert Wood of Jupiter, Fla., won the Co-angler Division of the Stren Series event on Wheeler Lake with a three-day total of 32 pounds, 4 ounces to collect a brand new Ranger Boat and $5,000 cash.

Wood started the day in fifth place and then mounted a final-day charge of 13 pounds, 1 ounce to come from behind and seize victory.

“I’m speechless,” said a breathless Wood after being declared the winner.

“What a fantastic day; I owe it all to this man right here,” he added, pointing to his final-day pro partner, Scott Canterbury.

On the first two days, Wood fished behind pros Jerry Lawler and Harry Smith to catch weights of 10-13 and 8-6, respectively.

Earlier in the week, Wood relied on Rapala crankbaits, but as the week wore on, he switched to jigs and Carolina rigs.

His jig was a 3/4-ounce Tru-Tungsten jig with a Zoom Superchunk in watermelon-blue color, fished on 17-pound line, and his Carolina rig was tipped with a Baby Brush Hog, also in watermelon-blue.

This is Wood’s second major co-angler victory with FLW Outdoors. His first was at the Walmart FLW Series event at Lake Okeechobee in 2008.

Tims second

After leading for two days, Brian Tims of Vincent, Ala., finished runner-up at the Stren Series Southeast event at Wheeler with a three-day total of 30 pounds, 12 ounces worth $3,504.

Tims fished with tournament pro winner Lloyd Pickett on day one and today. He used a Carolina-rigged Brush Hog in green-pumpkin and June-bug all week.

“It’s been an awesome week,” Tims said. “This is my first year fishing the Strens, and this is my third check in a row, so I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.”

Skipper third

John Skipper of Dothan, Ala., finished third with a three-day total of 28 pounds, 3 ounces worth $2,628.

Skipper rallied today with a 9-pound, 9-ounce catch to move from ninth to third. He caught his fish on Carolina rigs, jigs and crankbaits.

Emberton, Prince round out top five

Michael Emberton of Tompkinsville, Ky., finished fourth with a three-day total of 27 pounds, 2 ounces to collect $2,190.

Tony Prince of Pulaski, Tenn., finished fifth with a three-day total of 26 pounds, 1 ounce worth $1,971.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the Stren Series Southeast Division event on Wheeler Lake:

6th: Greg Hamblin of New Albany, Miss., three-day total of 25-10, $1,752

7th: Larry Mullikin of Lauderhill, Fla., three-day total of 24-15, $1,533

8th: Anthony McBay of Athens, Ala., three-day total of 24-0, $1,314

9th: Dallas Judkins of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., three-day total of 21-14, $1,095

10th: Marty Denton of Hampton Cove, Ala., three-day total of 20-6, $876