CLEWISTON, Fla.,- Larry Crossman of Boynton, Fla., out fished the competition Saturday to earn $6,000 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points in the boater division of the Red Man Tournament Trail season opener on Lake Okeechobee.
Crossman caught five bass weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces during the one-day event to edge out Mark Eden of Palm Bay, Fla., who finished with a five-bass catch of 14-04 worth $3,000. Crossman was casting a chartreuse spinnerbait into grass at the south end of the lake, while Eden opted to fish a jerkbait in Moonshine Bay.
David Eng of Okeechobee, Fla., placed third and collected $1,500 for five bass weighing 14-0. He was followed by Myron Barker of Melbourne, Fla., who earned $1,300 for five bass weighing 13-15, and Russell Echols of Moore Haven, Fla., who received $1,200 for five bass weighing 13-12.
First place in the co-angler division and $3,000 went to Don Roscovius of Orange Park, Fla., for five bass weighing 14-4. Second place in the co-angler division and $1,500 went to Shane Miller of Naples, Fla., for five bass weighing 12-10, while Jason Gonzalez of Loxahatchee, Fla., took third place and $750 with five bass weighing 11-2.
The tournament’s Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $1,000 went to Gary Simpson of Gainesville, Fla., for an 8-pound, 6-ounce largemouth. In the co-angler division, Ricky Hall of Titusville, Fla., collected $500 from Abu Garcia for a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth.
On Feb. 12, the Red Man Tournament Trail returns to Lake Okeechobee for the second of five events in the Gator Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Oct. 7-8, is declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season receives $500.
Operation Bass was founded in 1979 on the principle that working anglers should be able to fish competitively without interfering with jobs and family. The trail’s championship event, the Red Man All-American, awards $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. The highest placing CITGO Divisional Points Champion at the All-American receives $10,000 in the boater division and $2,500 in the co-angler division. Overall, more than $5.7 million could be awarded in 2000 based on full fields in each of the series’ 119 events nationwide.
Red Man became the trail’s title sponsor in 1983. Additional sponsors of the 2000 season are: Abu Garcia, BC Headache Powder, Black & Decker, Chevy Trucks, CITGO, Coleman, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Frenzy, Garmin, Poulan/Weed Eater, Power Bait, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Stren, Timex, Visa USA and Wrangler.