The top 50 anglers from the 139 event Red Man Tournament Trail have competed for the past two days on the Mississippi River, attempting to bring in the heaviest two-day total weight and advance to Saturday’s final round. Weight totals for the top 10 will carry over and be added to their catch tomorrow to determine the champion.
Five time consecutive qualifier Curtis Samo of Creston, Illinois, is the leader going into tomorrows final round with a two-day total weight totaling 21 pounds, 12 ounces. Samo caught his fish in Friday’s round flipping a tube with a Gambler Rattling weight on 20-pound-test line in 1-2 feet of water. He was fishing in heavy cover.
Saturday’s final round, each of the contestants will be paired with an ESPN 2 camera crew. The sports network is filming the championship for a one-hour special that will air later this year.
The 50 All-American anglers qualified for the 16th annual championship by finishing in the top 30 (based on a system of points and pounds) in one of 22 Red Man divisions, encompassing 132 one-day tournaments, and advancing through one of seven two-day regional championships. The top eight anglers from five regions, the top four from the Western Regional, and the top six from the Chevy Trucks Wild Card Regional event comprise the All-American field. The Red Man All-American is considered the most difficult event to qualify for in competitive fishing.
Sponsors of the Red Man Tournament Trail include: Evinrude Outboards, Evinrude Electrics, CITGO Petroleum, Ranger Boats, Humminbird Fishfinders, Stren Fishing Lines, Abu Garcia Rods and Reels, Chevy Trucks, ENERGIZER Marine Batteries, Old Milwaukee NA, Black & Decker, David Seeds, Coleman Products, Land O Lakes, BC Powder, Eveready, Wheaties, Chex Mix, Hamburger Helper, Wrangler, Powerbait, US Bank-VISA, and Frenzy.