Rogers savors long-awaited win
Jasper, Texas, co-angler catches unthinkable 96-8
ZAPATA, Texas – For Bill Rogers, a Stren Series win was a long time coming. This was a special tournament – a career-cementing victory for one of the best co-anglers in the game. On a trophy fishery, Rogers’ full angling abilities were on display as he caught 20 bass over four days that weighed 96 pounds, 8 ounces – both a Stren Series and an FLW Outdoors record.
This was one he needed. In the last four Texas Divsion seasons, Rogers has finished no worse than fourth in the points race. In 2005, he recorded three top-10 finishes on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. Furthermore, he has 21 top-10 finishes to his name. His record speaks for itself, but up until today his only victory was a Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League win on Sam Rayburn, his home lake.
Rogers didn’t set the famed Falcon Lake on fire Saturday, instead catching 18 pounds, 6 ounces – his 
smallest creel of the four-day tournament. But it was enough to seal the deal and that was all that mattered.
“I’ve tried so hard and I never could close one out,” said the Jasper, Texas, native. “I kept thinking, `Man when is it ever going to be me my time?’ It means everything to finally do it. I’m just elated. This was a tournament of a lifetime. I’ll be floating all the way home to Rayburn.”
Throughout the week, Rogers caught his fish flipping a Zoom Brush Hog with 65-pound braided line. On day four he lost several good fish, but still managed seven keepers.
Before leaving the stage, Rogers left a message for his wife via FLW Live.
“I love you baby and I’m bringing home a check and a boat.”
The amount of that check is $5,000 and the model of the boat is a 198VX Ranger.
High five co-anglers
Ray Peace had an incredible tournament by any measure – catching a four-day total weight of 20 bass weighing 92 pounds, 3 ounces. In fact, his 92-3 is the third-heaviest cumulative weight in FLW Outdoors history. Saturday, he caught five bass weighing 19 pounds, 8 ounces. Under normal 
circumstances, that would likely have been good enough to take home the title. But this was not an ordinary lake, and Rogers is not an ordinary co-angler.
“I had 28 pounds one day and 27 pounds the next,” Peace said of tournament days two and three. “Those are my two biggest days of my career.
“I sure didn’t think I had 19 pounds today because I’ve been catching those giants all week. I thought I had five babies.”
Targeting mainly prespawn fish in 2 to 6 feet of water, Peace used an 8-inch lizard and a 10-inch ribbontail worm, both in watermelon-red color. These baits were rigged either Carolina or Texas style.
For finishing second among 151 co-anglers, Peace earned $3,391.
Bo Middleton of Elgin, Okla., finished third with a four-day weight of 87 pounds, 3 ounces and received 
a check for $2,756. On day four, Middleton caught a limit weighing 22-5, the heaviest of the day from the back of the boat.
The 2007 Stren Series Co-angler of the Year caught his fish on a green pumpkin Magnum lizard on 35-pound Powerpro braid.
“I’ve started off pretty good this year and I hope it continues,” said Middleton, who has a victory and four top-10 finishes in only 11 FLW Outdoors-administered tournaments.
David Tierney of Fayetteville, Ark., finished fourth with a total weight of 86 pounds, taking home $2,120, and Eddie Stagg of Jasper, Texas, finished fifth with a four-day combined weight of 81 pounds for $1,696.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers at the Stren Series Texas Division event on Falcon Lake:
6th: Duke Gunnell of Mexia, Texas, four-day total of 80-14, $1,611
7th: Robert Arnold of Little Rock, Ark., 72-6, $1,525
8th: Mannie Lackey of Kerrville, Texas, 67-3, $1,442
9th: Mark Oakley of Davis, Okla., 65-10, $1,355
10th: J.R. Howard of Sterling City, Texas, 64-15, $1,273
The next Stren Series event will take place Jan 30-Feb. 2. on Lake Seminole, the season-opening qualifier in the Southeast Division. The next Texas Division event is slated for Feb. 20-23 on the Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Jasper, Texas.