Honeycutt tops co-anglers on humbling Rayburn
Texas resident starts season on right foot
JASPER, Texas – One of the best co-anglers in the game Keith Honeycutt of Temple, Texas, added another title to his resume this week on a tough Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
This victory made it No. 5 in his career with FLW, his second on Rayburn in the Rayovac FLW Series Texas Division. It is also his 15th top-10 finish, sixth on Rayburn.
Honeycutt started the week paired with day-one pro leader Ray Hanselman.
“Thursday was just a great day,” smiled Honeycutt. “I bet I caught three limits of fish that day on a swimbait in the grass. I actually was out-fishing my pro for a while before I gave him a swimbait. The key for that deal was using 15-pound Berkley 100 percent fluorocarbon. My pro was throwing the exact same swimbait on 20 pound test and didn’t get bit until he dropped to 15-pound fluoro.”
Today was a slightly different story for the seasoned co-angler.
“I just had to keep chucking and winding today because we fished more grass. That drop of the water temperature made it tough. I caught two fish on a trap, one on a Carolina rig and one on a swim jig. My last fish came right before we checked in. I asked my pro to stop in the back of this pocket and caught my last fish – a 2-pounder.”
The swimbait he used on day one was a pearl white Powell’s Custom swimbait. The trap he threw today was red craw colored and his plastic on the Carolina rig was a Strike King Game Hawg.
“I didn’t lose any fish this week so I’m proud of that. This is just a great way to start the season and hopefully I can carry this momentum into the FLW Tour opener in a few weeks on Okeechobee.”
Honeycutt was awarded a new Ranger Z117 with a 90-horsepower outboard and $5,000 for his victory.
Gressett second
Kevin Gressett of Tioga, Texas, made a big splash on day two after throwing down the biggest bag of the tournament for the co-anglers.
He started his week out with just two fish that weighed 4-11 to sit in 30th place. Today, Gressett hauled in 17-9 – one of only five limits – to rally all the way to second place. His two-day total stood at 22-4 which was enough to cash a check worth $4,200.
Like much of the field, Gressett found his success ripping traps through the grass. He alternated between red and silver/black back traps to do his damage.
Gates drops to third
He started the week with the lead after day one but in the end Jason Gates of Kountze, Texas, couldn’t repeat his day-one magic of 15 pounds. He brought in three fish weighing 5-15 to make his overall total 20-15. That earned Gates a check worth $3,360.
Gates rotated between red and gold Rat-L-Traps this week to produce his catch.
Hope, Wilson round out top five
Steve Hope of Alba, Texas, caught three bass on day one weighing 5-9. He caught a rare limit on day two worth 14-7 to jump up to fourth place with a two-day total weight of 20 pounds. He walked away with a check for $2,940.
“I caught my fish on a gold Rat-L-Trap,” said Hope. “I threw that thing until my arm about fell off.”
Dan Wilson of Pilot Point, Texas, remained stationary to capture fifth place. His four fish on day one weighed 13-0 and he followed that up with three bass today for 6-14. His 19-14 two-day total proved he could get quality bites and cashed him a check worth $2,520.
Wilson caught his fish on a Strike King Red Eye Shad in chrome with a black back color.
Big Bass
Randall Vaughan of Blanco, Texas, claimed big bass honors for the co-anglers with a 7-2 Rayburn stud. He was awarded $149.50 for his catch.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top-10 co-anglers in the Rayovac FLW Series event on Sam Rayburn:
6th: Larry Regina of South Bend, Ind., seven bass, 19-0, $2,100
7th: Ted Robbins of Longview, Texas, three bass, 17-5, $1,680
8th: Clint Farris of Joshua, Texas, five bass, 16-2, $1,470
9th: Rusty Harvey of Nederland, Texas, six bass, 15-14, $1,260
10th: Elton Brock of Denton, Texas, eight bass, 15-7, $1,050