MANY, La. (June 19, 2010) - Pro Bart Blakelock of Lake Charles, La., caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds even Saturday to win the FLW American Fishing Series Texas Division bass fishing tournament on Toledo Bend with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 66 pounds, 2 ounces. For his victory, Blakelock earned $21,943.
"Everything went my way today," said Blakelock, who posted his first FLW Outdoors victory. "I was so shook up I couldn't hardly speak on stage. I just thank the good Lord and my fiance and my kids for putting up with me being gone from home. As a kid, I always wanted to fish a big circuit and win a big event."
Blakelock said he caught the majority of his large fish on a Peanut Butter Jelly-colored Stanley Bugeye jig but also fished a Texas-rigged Junebug-colored NetBait 10-inch finesse worm as well as Firetiger Norman DD22 and shad-colored Lucky Craft crankbaits.
"I had big fish all three days," said Blakelock. "I had a limit in about 20 minutes today that weighed 12 pounds."
Blakelock said after he caught his limit he hit seven or eight more spots to cull fish and lost a fish he estimated at 8 pounds. On the first cast of the last stop of his day, Blakelock caught his big fish, a 9-pounder that helped seal the win.
Rounding out the top five pros were:
2nd: Wayne Ebarb, Many, La., 15 bass, 61-13, $7,461
3rd: Lamonte Loyd, Gilmer, Texas, 15 bass, 60-14, $5,266
4th: Jeremy Guidry, Opelousas, La., 15 bass, 57-0, $4,389
5th: Ryan Pinkston, Center, Texas, 15 bass, 55-15, $3,950
Blakelock caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Friday - a 9-pound, 12-ounce bass - that earned him the day's Big Bass award of $246.
Larry Cotten of Huffman, Texas, won the Co-angler Division and $8,858 cash, with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 46 pounds, 6 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers were:
2nd: Jeff Sprague, Forney, Texas, 15 bass, 39-10, $3,543
3rd: David Underwood, Waco, Texas, 12 bass, 37-13, $1,772
4th: Chris Weaver, Lawton, Okla., 13 bass, 34-4, $1,550
5th: Kelly Stevens, Alexandria, La., 11 bass, 33-3, $1,329
Troy Dickerson of Abilene, Texas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Thursday - an 8-pound, 8-ounce bass - that earned him the day's Big Bass award of $164.
The top pro and co-angler based on point standings from each of the FLW American Fishing Series divisions - Central, Northern, Southeast and Texas - will qualify for the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup. The top 50 pros and co-anglers from each division also qualify for the American Fishing Series Invitational on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Nov. 4-6, with the winning pro and co-angler also advancing to the Forrest Wood Cup.