JASPER, Texas (March 25, 2013) – Todd Castledine of Nacogdoches, Texas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 20 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Cowboy Division tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. For his victory, Castledine earned $5,127.
“I was doing a combination of two things,” said Castledine. “I started off sight-fishing for a few bedding fish that I had located earlier. After I caught those fish, I would cast around in those same areas for fish that were not on beds. This is my third weekend in a row where I have won a tournament down here, and I have been doing pretty much the same thing every time.
“I have been mostly throwing a Kicker Fish swimbait,” Castledine continued. “It’s a 5-inch prototype swimbait called the Tail Slapper and I have been using it for over a month now. I throw that around and can usually pop one or two really big ones a day. I was also using a Kicker Fish Kicker Kraw to catch the bedding fish.
“I had no idea that I was going to win,” Castledine went on to say. “I just didn’t catch a ton of fish throughout the day. I had been weighing in some pretty good sacks and I didn’t have anywhere near what I thought I would need. I was totally surprised. I really need to credit Jesus Christ and my sponsors for the win.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Mark Allen, Vivian, La., five bass, 17-12, $2,064
3rd: Teddy Cloide, Vidor, Texas, five bass, 17-5, $1,377
4th: Michael Brewton, Nacogdoches, Texas, five bass, 15-12, $963
5th: Brett Sellers, Denham Springs, La., five bass, 15-3, $825
6th: Jeremy Guidry, Opelousas, La., five bass, 14-13, $757 + $300 Evinrude Bonus
7th: Tommy Mackey, Bryan, Texas, five bass, 14-12, $688
8th: Bill Cook, Houston, Texas, five bass, 14-7, $619
9th: Eric Bennett, Simpson, La., five bass, 13-13, $550
10th: Ronnie Bickham, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 13-12, $482
Doron Pardo of Monroe, La., weighed in four bass totaling 15 pounds even Saturday to win $2,064 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: David Kayda, Huffman, Texas, five bass, 14-8, $1,032
3rd: Mark Hensiek, Humnoke, Ark., five bass, 13-9, $688
4th: Chad Estep, Prairieville, La., four bass, 12-7, $482
5th: Jay Bennett, Lufkin, Texas, five bass, 12-1, $413
6th: Brandon Booth, Bryan, Texas, five bass, 11-15, $378
7th: Robert Derr, Hawkins, Texas, five bass, 11-13, $344
8th: Steven Rose, Deridder, La., five bass, 11-5, $310
9th: Andy Vote, Kingwood, Texas, five bass, 11-4, $275
10th: Ryan Morott, Princeton, Texas, five bass, 11-3, $241
The next BFL Cowboy Division tournament is scheduled for May 11 on Toledo Bend Reservoir in Many, La. After the last divisional tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 Regional Championship on Lake Texoma in Pottsboro, Texas. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.