LAWRENCEBURG, Ind., (July 26,1999) Butch Dobransky of Canton, Ohio, took first place, $3243, plus 50 CITGO Challenge Points for winning the Red Man Buckeye Division qualifier held Sunday on the Ohio River at Tanners Creek. Dobransky brought in four bass weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces to top a field of 212 anglers competing for $12,077.50.
Dobransky fished in Tanners Creek, using a jig and worm in a black /blue color around wood to catch his fish. Second place and $1622 went to Rich Carter of Columbus, Ohio, for a five bass limit weighing 6-5. Carter fished back waters on flats, stumps, and laydowns using a black, Ohio Pro jig and pig.
Rounding out the top positions were: (3) Brian Baldwin, Beaver Creek, OH, two bass, 5-0, $952; (4) (Tie)David Root, Canton, OH, two bass, 4-1, $594; (4) Robert Henz, Dayton, OH, two bass, 4-1, $594.
Dirk Davenport of Delaware, OH, won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $1,000 for a 3 pound, 9 ounce bass. James Bensch of Toledo, Jimmy Mize of Ben Lomond, AR, is leading the Buckeye Arkie Division’s Ranger Millennium big bass race for the year with a bass weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces. The Ranger boat owner who catches the largest bass in each Red Man division over the course of the season, will qualify to enter the Ranger M1 Millennium tournament. Gene Bledsoe of Grady, AR, won the Berkley Powerbait award a package of baits valued at $325 for the highest weight caught on Powerbait or Frenzy lures with 9 pounds, 8 ounces.
At the completion of the six Red Man qualifying events, the top 30 anglers, determined on a basis of pounds and points, will move onto Regional Championship competition. There they will compete against the top 30 fishermen from three other divisions for a Dream Rig consisting of a Chevy truck and a full-rigged Ranger bass boat powered by an Evinrude or Johnson outboard (only two divisions compete in the Western Regional for a fully-rigged Ranger bass boat) and a spot in the Red Man All-American in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 8-13, 2000, where the winner will receive $100,000.
The rookie advancing farthest along the Red Man Trail will win the Old Milwaukee NA Rookie-of-the-Year Award.
All Red Man tournaments are catch and release events. Operation Bass historically maintains a 98 percent live release rate throughout the tournament season.
Sponsors of the 1999 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, US Bank-VISA, Powerbait, and Frenzy.