GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Billy Schroeder, 43, of Paducah, Ky., out-fished 168 competitors Saturday to earn $5,385 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s LBL Division event on Kentucky Lake.
Schroeder caught five smallmouth bass weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces during the one-day event to top Robert Trulock of Clarksville, Tenn., who finished with a three-bass catch of 15-6 worth $2,692. Schroeder caught his limit off ledges in 16 to 20 feet of water on a 3-inch, watermelon seed color grub with a ¼-ounce jig head.
Roger Pickard of Benton, Ky., took third place and collected $1,346 for three bass weighing 12-7. He 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.
Chuck Kasinger of Owensboro, Ky., placed fourth and earned $1,167 for five bass weighing 11-14, while Jerry Dailey of Tuscumbia, Ala. placed fifth and earned $1,077 with four bass weighing 11-13.
Mack Reddick, 53, of St. Charles, Mo., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $840 for an 8-pound bass that he caught on a Carolina-rigged, pumpkin and Chartreuse color lizard. The bass was caught near Ford Bay in Lake Barkley.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,485 went to Dwayne Bucy, 57, of Hazel, Ky., who topped 152 competitors with two bass weighing 8-5. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,242 went to Phillip Barkley of Gilbertsville, Ky., for one bass weighing 7-12, while Mike Cole of Louisville, Ky., took third place and $621 with two bass weighing 7-11. Barkley also won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $380 for his lunker bass.
On June 10, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit Kentucky Dam State Park for the third of five events in the LBL Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 30-Oct. 1 out of Moors Marina, will be declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $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.