Fannin takes co-angler title at Eufaula

Mahady runner-up in Stren Series Southeast event

EUFAULA, Ala. – Pro winner Ryan Ingram put his co-anglers on fish this week, and the biggest benefactor of Ingram’s mother lode was Curt Fannin of Prestonburg, Ky.

Fannin caught 13 pounds, 1 ounce behind Ingram Saturday for a two-day total of 22 pounds, 14 ounces to win a Ranger boat plus $5,000 cash.

“I’ve been trying for five years to get in the winner’s circle,” Fannin said. “And it finally happened. I’m tickled to death.”

Fannin used a Carolina-rigged Zoom Baby Brush Hog in watermelon-blue flake to catch his fish both Friday and today.

“I shortened my leader up quite a bit, and that seemed to help get more bites,” Fannin said. “I’d drag that 1-ounce weight along, and as soon as it fell off a little drop, I’d get a bite. Ryan was definitely on fish. We both caught quite a few.”

Finishing runner-up was Ingram’s co-angler from yesterday, Mike Mahady of Kennesaw, Ga.

Mahady caught a two-day total of 19 pounds, 1 ounce and collected $4,000 for his finish.

“I didn’t have a fish at 1 o’clock,” Mahady said. “I picked up a Rat-L-Trap and just started throwing it off the back deck and caught four fish in the last couple of hours. It’s been a great week, and I’ve had some awesome partners.”

Alan Hults of Gautier, Miss., finished third with a two-day total of 17 pounds and collected $3,500.

Hults used a watermelon Senko and a jig to land his four keepers today.

Fourth-place finisher Jim Buchanan of Dothan, Ala., credited a 1/4-ounce Rat-L-Trap and spinnerbait for his two-day total of 12 pounds, 12 ounces worth $2,500.

Steve Smith of Mariana, Fla., finished third with a two-day total of 12 pounds, 3 ounces worth $2,000.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the Stren Series Southeast at Lake Eufaula:

6th: Mike Birge of Florala, Ala., 10-13, $1,900

7th: Matthew Parker of Whitesburg, Ga., 10-0, $1,800

8th: Matt Leavel of Hamilton, Ala., 9-13, $1,700

9th: Shane Patterson of Alexander City, Ala., 8-0, $1,600

10: Garry Collins of Russell Springs, Ky., 6-3, $1,500

The next Stren Series event takes place March 22-25 in the Central Division at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Jasper, Texas. The next Southeast Division event is the final one of the regular season and will take place April 19-22 at Santee Cooper lakes in Manning, S.C.