WAGONER, Okla. (April 2, 2007) - Boater Jerry Corbett of Chouteau, Okla., won the Bass Fishing League Okie Division bass fishing tournament on Fort Gibson Saturday with a four-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces. The victory earned Corbett $3,823 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Wright Patman Lake Regional Championship in Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Corbett caught his fish near the dam fishing a crankbait 10 to 12 feet deep.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Mitchell Webb of Skiatook, Okla., (four bass, 15-15, $2,249); Stanley Breshears of Rogers, Ark., (five bass, 15-12, $1,498); Jason Sandidge of Centerton, Ark., (five bass, 15-0, $1,050) and John Shore of Owasso, Okla., (five bass, 15-7, $900).
Larry Rea of Stigler, Okla., and Corbett split the Boater Division Big Bass award, and each earned $322.50 for a pair of 6-pound, 6-ounce bass.
Darin Anderson of Drumright, Okla., earned $2,249 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to four bass weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces that he caught while fishing a BOOYAH spinnerbait shallow around mid-lake.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are James Marion of Tulsa, Okla., (five bass, 11-6, $1,125); Wade Garcia of Alma, Ark., (three bass, 10-8, $752); Billy Gwaltney of Fayetteville, Ark., (four bass, 9-15, $525) and Steve Bradfield of Claremore, Okla., (three bass, 9-11, $450).
Joe Montalbano of Broken Arrow, Okla., earned $322 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass. The Okie Division's next event will be May 12 on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Okla., followed by a tournament June 16 on the Arkansas River in Webber Falls, Okla. The final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 15-16 on Grand Lake in Grove, Okla.
Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Wright Patman Lake Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the 2008 All-American.