WAGONER, Okla. – Brian Russell, 27, of Ada, Okla., out-fished 160 competitors Saturday to earn $5,128 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Okie Division event on Fort Gibson Lake.
After weathering high winds and pouring rain that delayed the tournament for several hours, Russell caught five largemouth bass weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces during the one-day event to edge out Edwin Evers of Mannsville, Okla., who finished with a four-bass catch of 14-0 worth $2,564. Russell caught his limit, including a 5-pound, 14-ounce largemouth, casting a spider jig in the main lake.
Shonn Goodwin of Moore, Okla., took third place and collected $1,282 with five bass weighing 13-11. Joe Buffalow of Tonkawa, Okla., placed fourth and earned $1,111 with four bass weighing 13-10, while Mark Goines of Shady Point, Okla., placed fifth and earned $1,026 with three bass weighing 10-11.
Nick Muzliakouich of Wagoner, Okla., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $800 for a 6-pound, 5-ounce bass that he caught on a crankbait.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,564 went to Ed Riner, 35, of Owasso, Okla., who topped 160 competitors with three bass weighing 11-6. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,282 went to Billy Cox of Salina, Okla., with three bass weighing 10-10, while C.E. Carlile of Broken Arrow, Okla., took third place and $641 with two bass weighing 7-8.
Jimmy Green, of Miami, Okla., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $400 with a 7-pound, 7-ounce bass he caught on a crankbait. The catch also was good enough to put him in fourth place for another $556.
Ken Hagar of Jay, Okla., won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures. He caught two bass weighing 8-8.
On June 17, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit Lake Eufaula for the third of five events in the Okie Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 30-Oct. 1 on Grand Lake, 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.