Offshore Bite Best for Freeman

Sharbono takes co-angler title on Toledo Bend

Glen Freeman of Converse, Louisiana, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 11 ounces Sunday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Cowboy Division Super Tournament on Toledo Bend with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 41 pounds, 11 ounces. For his victory, Freeman earned $7,874.

“The tournament was difficult due to the high winds, especially out in the middle of the lake,” said Freeman who earned his ninth career win and 30th top-10 finish in FLW competition. “Thank God I was in a Ranger Boat.

“I stuck with a pretty basic pattern for this event,” continued Freeman. “I focused on deep ledges – anywhere from 10 to 20 feet – as well as ridges and humps. The offshore structure had the best bite.”

Freeman said his bait of choice was a Texas-rigged Yum Baits worm.

“I preferred a couple of different colors,” said Freeman. “Sometimes I used Redbug and sometimes I liked green-pumpkin. It really depended on the spot I was on.”

Freeman went on to say that he did catch a few notable bass on a crankbait, but the majority came on the worm.

“We didn’t have a good early bite,” Freeman said. “My best fish came later in the morning and into the afternoon each day.”

The top 10 boaters:

1^st:          Glen Freeman, Converse, La., 10 bass, 41-11, $5,874 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd:         Ryan Pinkston, Center, Texas, nine bass, 37-3, $2,937

3^rd:          Albert Collins, Nacogdoches, Texas, 10 bass, 33-10, $1,957

4^th:          Randy Millender, Teague, Texas, 10 bass, 31-7, $1,371

5^th:          Brooke Morrison, Youngsville, La., 10 bass, 29-1, $1,175

6^th:          Ron Festavan, Vivian, La., 10 bass, 27-11, $1,077

7^th:          Nick Lebrun, Shreveport, La., 10 bass, 27-8, $979

8^th:          Billy Phipps, Elm Grove, La., nine bass, 27-7, $881

9^th:          Corey Harris, Chatham, La., 10 bass, 25-8, $783

10^th:        Jeremy Guidry, Opelousas, La., nine bass, 24-4, $685              

Complete results can be found here. 

Phipps caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 9 pounds, 6 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $780.

Sharbono wins co-angler division

Gene Sharbono of Montgomery, Louisiana, won the co-angler division and $2,937 with a two-day total of seven bass weighing 31 pounds even.

The top 10 co-anglers:

1^st:          Gene Sharbono, Montgomery, La., seven bass, 31-0, $2,937

2^nd:         Charles Dellard, Burleson, Texas, eight bass. 27-12, $1,468

3^rd:          Russell Lewis, Pineville, La., nine bass, 25-0, $979

4^th:          Robert Royal, Vidor, Texas, eight bass, 21-13, $685

5^th:          Karim Anabtawi, Groves, Texas, six bass, 21-2, $587

6^th:          Mark Swift, Shelbyville, Texas, eight bass, 21-0, $538

7^th:          Matthew Kay, League City, Texas, eight bass, 19-11, $489

8^th:          Myong Yu, Spurger, Texas, five bass, 16-9, $441

9^th:          Keenan McAfee, Fort Hood, Texas, six bass, 16-3, $392

10^th:        Jonathan Primeaux, Lake Charles, La., eight bass, 16-1, $343

Sharbono also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $390.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings now qualify for the Oct. 22-24 Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.