LACROSSE, Wis. (June 19, 1999) – Mike Baldwin, a 37-year-old boat mechanic from Mohave Valley, Arizona, took first place and $100,000 in Operation Bass’ 16th annual Red Man All-American Bass Fishing Championship held on the Mississippi River with a final round, 5 bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces, to give him 32 pounds, 11 ounces for the tournament and the win. The event, considered to be the the sport’s most difficult championship fishing event to qualify for, is one of the oldest and most prestigious in competitive angling.
Baldwin, competing against 50 of the top bass anglers in the nation, made it through the preliminary round cut, Thursday and Friday, to advance to the championship round, where he competed against nine other champion anglers in the $289,250 tournament.
Baldwin caught his fish using a Yamamoto 1/4 ounce, watermelon and red flake-colored jig with a Hula Grub spider skirt and a Twin-Tail trailer. He caught his limit within the first 23 minutes of the tournament day off a rock pile located on a point in the Black River. He was using 12 pound test line.
“I really didn’t think I had a chance to win until I got back to the weigh-in,” said Baldwin. “I now would like to expand my fishing career and fish the Wal-Mart FLW Tour next year.”
His three-day winning weight of 32 pounds, 11 ounces, edged runner-up Chris Baldwin of Lexington, North Carolina, (who also finished in second place last year)who finished the day with 9 pounds, 3 ounces, and a three day total of 29 pounds, 12 ounces. Lamontie Walters of Warner Robins, Georgia, tied Baldwin for second place. Both received $25,000.
Rounding out the top 10 were: (4) Tim Fleetwood, Forsyth, MO, 28-7, $15,000; (5) Greg Ault, Hot Springs, AR, 27-11, $12,500; (6) Jeffery Lewis, E. Bernstadt, KY, 27-7, $10,000; (7) Curtis Samo, Creston, IL, 27-3, $8,500; (8) Butch Dobransky, Canton, OH, 26-13, $7,500; (9) Dwaine Williams, Greenup, KY, 25-12, $6,500; and (10) Spence Brunson, Salisbury, NC, 25-8, $5,500.
The 10 championship round anglers advanced through the preliminary round, Thursday and Friday, by weighing in the heaviest two-day total of bass. Catch weights from the championship round were added to the previous days’ total to determine the winner.
Thousands of anglers compete on the 139-event Red Man Tournament Trail, vying for one of the 50 Red Man All-American slots. The Red Man Tournament Trail, widely considered as having opened competitive fishing to the masses, was established in 1979 for America’s “weekend enthusiast” anglers.
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.