MOUNT IDA, Ark. (Oct. 27, 2008) - Boater Dicky Newberry of Houston, Texas, earned a fully rigged Ranger 198VX and a new Chevy truck Saturday as the winner of the Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Ouachita in Mount Ida, Ark. The top 40 boaters and the top 40 co-anglers from the Cowboy, Louisiana/Texas, Okie and Ozark divisions competed in the three-day bass fishing tournament.
Newberry's winning three-day catch of 15 bass weighed 42 pounds, 14 ounces. In addition to the new truck and boat, Newberry earned a ticket to the 2009 $1 million Walmart Bass Fishing League All-American. The winning boater and co-angler at the All-American will also advance to the $2 million 2009 Forrest Wood Cup.
The top six boaters and the top six co-anglers at the regional championship earned a spot to compete in the All-American. Rounding out the top six boaters were Mark Allen of Kemp, Texas (15 bass, 35-05, $4,000); Jeff Holder of Bossier City, La. (15 bass, 33-10, $2,000); Brandon Baker of Hemphill, Texas (15 bass, 33-10, $1,600); Christopher Jones of Pocola, Okla. (15 bass, 29-04, $1,200); and Larry Rea of Stigler, Okla. (11 bass, 28-11, $1,000).
Dennie Smith of Seabrook, Texas, earned a new Ranger boat as the co-angler winner, thanks to a three-day total of 10 bass weighing 20 pounds, 11 ounces.
Rounding out the top six co-anglers were Jeff Farquhar of Ridgedale, Mo. (eight bass, 18-02, $2,000); James Covington of Denham Springs, La. (10 bass, 16-01, $1,000); Mark Henning of Oklahoma City, Okla. (eight bass, 14-15, $800); Don Meyerett of Castle Rock, Colo. (nine bass, 14-11, $600); and Dennis Spell of Desloge, Mo. (eight bass, 14-05, $500).