BROOKLAND, Texas – Bert Thompson of Benton, La., out-fished 102 competitors this weekend to earn $7,549 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Cowboy Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on the Lake Sam Rayburn.
Thompson caught four bass weighing 11 pounds, 10 ounces on opening day to qualify for the second and final day of competition. On day two, he caught 12 pounds, 12 ounces of bass to top Brian Sewell of Coldspring, Texas, who finished with a day-two catch of 10-2 worth $3,774. Thompson caught his bass using a Carolina rig near grass and drop-offs.
David May of League City, Texas, took third place and collected $1,887 with a day-two catch weighing 10-0. John Hatton of Beaumont, Texas, placed fourth and earned $1,636 with a day-two catch weighing 8-5, while Jerry Lehman of Hemphill, Texas, placed fifth and earned $1,510 with a day-two catch weighing 8-5.
The tie between Lehman and Hatton was broke based on the weight of each angler’s opening-day catch. Hatton had five bass weighing 13-3, and Lehman had four bass weighing 9-7.
Bradley Stringer of Huntington, Texas, won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $1,020 with a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Thompson was declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000 after amassing 219 points through five regular season events.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,738 went to Douglas Bailey of Jasper, Texas, who topped 98 competitors with a day-two catch weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces. Bailey caught four bass weighing 7-5 on opening day to qualify for the final round.
Jerry Guest of La Porte, Texas, amassed more points than any other co-angler during five regular season events to win the Co-Angler Divisional Points title and $500. Guest earned 194 points this season.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,869 went to Mark Milward of Taylor, Texas, with a day-two catch weighing 4-1, while Randy Atkins of Buna, Texas, took third place and $935 with a day-two catch weighing 3-3. Clark Reehm of Ruston, La., placed fourth with a day-two catch weighing 1-11 worth $810, and Scott Hoing of Diana, Texas, rounded out the top-five with a day-two catch weighing 1-9 worth $748.
Chad Heitman of Alvin, Texas, won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $490 with a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass.
The trail’s championship event, the Red Man All-American, will award $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. Overall, more than $5.7 million could be awarded in 2000 based on full fields in each of the series’ 119 events nationwide.