BENTON, Ky. (May 9, 2009) - Pro Mike Ward of Paris, Tenn., caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to edge past Kentucky Lake veteran David Young of Mayfield, Ky., and win his second straight Stren Series Central Division bass fishing tournament on Kentucky Lake with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 57 pounds, 8 ounces. For his victory Ward earned $25,000 cash and a fully rigged Ranger 198VX bass boat.
"There was a shad spawn going on with the water being up and a little bit cool," said Ward, who also won the 2008 Stren Series stop on Kentucky Lake. "I believe that positioned the larger ones where I was fishing."
Ward opened the tournament in ninth place Thursday with five bass weighing 19-15. He then caught five bass weighing 17-10 Friday to make the crucial top-10 cut in second place with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37-09. Entering the final day of competition in the No. 2 spot was critically important, as it turned out to be the tiebreaker that pushed Ward ahead of Young, who also finished with 15 bass weighing 57-08 but advanced to the final round in the No. 3 spot. Young, who has earned 29 top-10s on Kentucky Lake, received $10,000.
Rounding out the top five pros were Cary Bever of Rhinelander, Wis. (15 bass, 54-09, $8,000); Tommy Ellis of Paris, Tenn. (15 bass, 54-03, $7,000); and Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn. (15 bass, 53-15, $6,000).
Ward caught his winning limit Saturday flipping a Strike King Rodent into flooded buck brush.
"The texture of the rodent is real soft," Ward said, "and because it's so soft and the coffee scent it has, I thought the fish would hold onto it longer and give me more time to react."
This was Ward's 14th top-10 finish on Kentucky Lake.
Luke Smith of Eddyville, Ky., caught the biggest bass of the tournament - an 8-pounder - that earned him the day's Big Bass award of $450 in the Pro Division Friday.
Brian Somrek of Calvert City, Ky., won the Co-angler Division and a fully rigged Ranger 177TR bass boat with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 43-10.
Somrek caught five bass weighing 18-01 Thursday while fishing with pro Keith Himes of Lyles, Tenn., to open the tournament in first place. On Friday he added five more bass weighing 14-12 to make the top-10 cut in first place while fishing with pro Larry Frasier of Owensboro, Ky. Finally, on Saturday, he sealed the win with five bass weighing 10-13 while fishing with Ellis.
Somrek caught his winning limit Saturday throwing a Rat-L-Trap and a homemade jig.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Brian Futch of Goreville, Ill. (13 bass, 41-02, $4,000); Kyle Weisenburger of Findlay, Ohio (11 bass, 39-13, $3,000); Logan Fulks of Hendersonville, Tenn. (11 bass, 38-01, $2,500); and Dennis Marcinek of Chicago (11 bass, 33-13, $2,000).
Bill Coffey of Union City, Tenn., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday - a 6-pound, 13-ounce bass - that earned him the day's Big Bass award of $225.
The next Stren Series Central Division event, hosted by Wayne County Parks, will be held July 23-25 on the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich. Boats will launch from Elizabeth Park Marina in Trenton, and the final weigh-in will be held at the Walmart located at 23800 Allen Road in Woodhaven.