HENDERSON, N.C. – Robert Walser, 40, of Lexington, N.C., out-fished 159 competitors this weekend to earn $10,397 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Piedmont Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on Kerr Lake.
Walser caught 11 pounds, 11 ounces of bass on opening day to qualify for the second and final day of competition. On day two, he caught 20 pounds of bass to top Bo Fraser of Lorton, Va., who finished with a day-two catch of 16-5 worth $5,199. Walser caught his bass using spinnerbaits and crankbaits.
Bo Fraser of Lorton, Va., took third place and collected $5,199 with a day-two catch weighing 16-5. Chris Baldwin of Lexington, N.C., placed fourth and earned $2,599 with a day-two catch weighing 6-13, while Kim Carver of Milledgeville, Ga., placed fifth and earned $2,253 with a day-two catch weighing 6-8.
Gary Hain of Sparta, N.C., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $1,590 with a 7-pound bass that he caught on a spinnerbait.
Baldwin was declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000 after amassing 231 points through five regular season events.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $5,199 went to Bubba Wray, 48, of Hopewell, Va., who topped 159 competitors with a day-two catch weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Wray caught 6 pounds, 10 ounces of bass on opening day to qualify for the final round.
Greg Lineberry of Galax, Va., amassed more points than any other co-angler during five regular season events to win the Co-Angler Divisional Points title and $500. Lineberry earned 220 points this season.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,599 went to Donald Talbard of Ringgold, Va., with a day-two catch weighing 7-0, while Kenneth Handy of Thomasville, N.C., took third place and $1,300 with a day-two catch weighing 5-15.
Mark Finley of Charlottesville, Va., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $795 with a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass that he caught on a crankbait.
David Burke of Henderson, N.C., won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures. Burke caught 10 pounds, 15 ounces of bass.
The trail’s championship event, the Red Man All-American, will award $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. 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. Wal-Mart recently announced that it has assumed title sponsorship of the tournament series for 2001 and will rename it the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League.