CLEWISTON, Fla. - David Dudley of Lynchburg, Va., caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 8 ounces Saturday to win $125,000 in the FLW Series Eastern Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Okeechobee with a four-day catch of 20 bass weighing 64-2.
The catch gave him the win by a solid 7-pound, 7-ounce margin over Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tenn., who caught a total of 20 bass weighing 56-7 and earned $50,000.
"No matter how many classes or seminars you attend, you can't teach instinct," said Dudley, who increased his winnings in FLW Outdoors events to more than $1.9 million and his total career winnings to more than $2.2 million. "It comes through trial and error. And this week that experience made all the difference."
Dudley became the youngest angler to surpass $2 million in career winnings in 2006 at the age of 30. He is second on the all-time money list behind the legendary Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo.
Dudley opened the tournament in 20th place Wednesday with five bass weighing 13-9 by flipping grass. On Thursday he added another five bass weighing 11-15 to improve to the 6th spot. He then caught five bass weighing 20-2 by focusing on fishing canals Friday to make the crucial top 10 cut with the lead. On Saturday he sealed his victory using a Bomber Fat Free Shad and a shaky-head worm.
"I look back at some of the decisions I've made while fishing and I chuckle to myself," Dudley said. "When you're fishing, you have to listen to your instincts and what the Lord is telling you."
Dudley's instincts told him that shallow water wouldn't hold quality fish after a cold front moved through the area Thursday. Dudley searched for areas that bass would migrate to and hold in once the water temperatures cooled. He found fish in 12 to 15 feet of water in canals and exploited the discovery. Dudley fished five spots in the J & S canal on the east side of the lake.
"It was a no-brainer to move to canals," Dudley said. "When you have shallow water that gets cold, you have to move deep. I never second-guessed it."
Rounding out the top five pros are Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C. (20 bass, 54-6, $40,000); Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla. (14 bass, 45-9, $30,000) and Jim Dillard of West Monroe, La. (15 bass, 41-11, $20,000).
Strader and Jim Short of Ocean Pines, Md., split the day's $500 Big Bass award in the Pro Division with matching 8-pound, 6-ounce largemouths.
Overall there were 42 bass weighing 96 pounds, 12 ounces caught by 10 pros Saturday. The catch included six five-bass limits.
Ron Fabiszak of South Bend, Ind., won the Co-angler Division and $25,000 Friday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 31 pounds, 8 ounces followed by Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., in second place with 14 bass weighing 27-12 worth $10,000.
Fabiszak opened the tournament in 24th place Wednesday with five bass weighing 10-2 while fishing with pro Richard Patterson of Windermere, Fla. On Thursday he jumped to second place with a five-bass catch weighing 12-4 while fishing with pro David Mansue of Robbinsville, N.J. He wrapped up the win Friday with a three-bass catch weighing 9-2 while fishing with Team Pepcid pro Jason Knapp.
"All of my fish yesterday came on a Gambler Ace rigged wacky style," said the 37-year-old ceramic tile installer, who has won three previous FLW Outdoors events, including two Stren Series events as a co-angler. "We made a long run this morning and then stopped at a spot on the way back and I caught my two better fish today on a Gambler Cane Toad."
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jess Caraballo of Danbury, Conn. (eight bass, 22-13, $9,000); Danny Bishop of Buchanan, Ga. (nine bass, 22-4, $8,000) and Mark Phillips of Fayetteville, Ark. (nine bass, 21-13, $7,000).
Tony Haymon of Penney Farms, Fla., earned $300 for the Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division thanks to a 9-pound, 9-ounce bass he caught while fishing with pro Nick Gainey of Charleston, S.C.
Overall there were 151 bass weighing 292 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 151 co-anglers Friday. The catch included four five-bass limits.
FLW Outdoors historically maintains a 98 percent live release rate in all of its bass tournaments.
The next FLW Series Eastern Division tournament will be held May 9-12 on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Ark. Boats will launch from Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville and the final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart located at 2409 E. Main St. in Russellville.
After four qualifying events are complete in the Eastern Division, the top 30 pros and 30 co-anglers will advance to the East-West Fishoff Jan. 17-19, 2008, where they will face the top 30 pros and 30 co-anglers from the Western Division for a shot at advancing to the $2 million, 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. The winning pro at the Forrest Wood Cup will earn as much as $1 million.