Hatcher wins Red Man bass event on Lake Ouachita
MOUNT IDA, Ark., – Shawn Hatcher of Van Buren, Ark., out fished the competition Saturday to earn $5,035 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points in the Boater Division of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Arkie season opener on Lake Ouachita.
Hatcher, a 25-year-old brick mason, caught five largemouth bass weighing 17 pounds, 5 ounces during the one-day event to edge out Trey Henigan of Benton, Ark., who finished with a five-bass catch of 17-4 worth $2,518. Hatcher was fishing flats up the river using a Dead Stick Rouge lure.
Keith Wallum of Arkadelphia, Ark., placed third and collected $1,259 for five bass weighing 17-3. Michael Farris of Calico Rock, Ark., earned $1,091 for five bass weighing 16-14, and Danny Cooper of Hot Springs, Ark., received $1,001 for three bass weighing 15-8. Farris and Cooper finished fourth and fifth respectively. Cooper also won the Boater Division Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $770 for a 7-pound, 1-ounce largemouth he caught on a Fat Albert Zoom Grub.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,534 went to Robert Morehart, 52, of Ward, Ark., for four bass weighing 15-9. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $950 went to John Brewer of Benton, Ark., for four bass weighing 14-1 and Ray Brown of Maumelle, Ark., for five bass of the same weight. Brown, a 17-year-old student, also won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures. This was Brown’s first Red Man tournament.
Morehart and Clyde McMoran of Greenbrier, Ark., each collected $193 from Abu Garcia for catching the biggest bass in the Co-Angler Division at 5 pounds, 13 ounces.
Kelly wins Red Man bass event on Lake Seminole
BAINBRIDGE, Ga.,- John Kelly of Marianna, 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 Bulldog Division season opener on Lake Seminole.
Kelly, a home builder, caught five bass weighing 21 pounds, 2 ounces during the one-day event to edge out David Johnson of Marianna who finished with a five-bass catch of 20-1 worth $3,000. Kelly was Carolina rigging a green and chartreuse Zoom Lizard near sand and grass in 4-to 5-feet of water.
Greg Gaston of Thomasville, Ga., placed third and collected $1,500 for five bass weighing 20-0. He was followed by Jerry Simons of Donalsonville, Ga., who earned $1,300 for five bass weighing 19-15, and John Baucom of Tallahassee, Fla., who received $1,200 for five bass weighing 19-12.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,000 went to Phillip Allen of Concord, Ga., for four bass weighing 15-9. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,500 went to Scott Cleveland of Douglasville, Ga., for five bass weighing 12-13, while Randy Weaver of Bainbridge, Ga., took third place and $750 with two bass weighing 12-9.
The tournament’s Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $1,000 in the Boater Division went to LeRoy Davis of Alabany, Ga., for a 10-pound largemouth. In the Co-Angler Division, Chad Wise of Dothan, Ala., collected $500 from Abu Garcia for a 7-pound, 14-ounce largemouth.
Chris Miller, a co-angler from Dothan, Ala., won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures in either division.