GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 6, 2008) - Boater Brian Fitzpatrick of La Crosse, Wis., earned a fully rigged Ranger 198VX and a new Chevy truck Saturday as the winner of the Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes in Gilbertsville, Ky. The top 40 boaters and the top 40 co-anglers from the Arkie, Buckeye, Great Lakes and Illini divisions competed in the three-day bass fishing tournament.
Fitzpatrick's winning three-day catch of 15 bass weighed 41 pounds, 11 ounces. In addition to the new truck and boat, Fitzpatrick 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.
Fitzpatrick said he caught his winning bass on a spinnerbait and soft plastic frog around weed lines near Paris Landing.
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 Gabe Herrington of Malvern, Ark. (15 bass, 40-14, $4,000); Jason Slagstad of Rice Lake, Wis. (15 bass, 40-12, $2,000); David Young of Mayfield, Ky. (14 bass, 39-08, $1,600); Bobby McMullin of Pevely, Mo. (13 bass, 36-13, $1,200); and Mike Brueggen of Cashton, Wis. (12 bass, 31-12, $1,000).
Terrance Narveson of Russellville, Ark., earned a new Ranger boat as the co-angler winner, thanks to a three-day total of 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 11 ounces that he caught on buzzbaits and other topwater baits near Paris Landing.
Rounding out the top six co-anglers were Leland Davis of Fort Smith, Ark. (nine bass, 24-02, $2,000); Keith Lambert of Benton, Ark. (eight bass, 19-15, $1,000); Gary Bettis of Olney, Ill. (seven bass, 19-13, $800); Timothy Lane of Momence, Ill. (eight bass, 18-14, $600); and Chance Stone of Nashville, Ark. (six bass, 18-04, $500).