OROVILLE, Calif. (May 16, 2009) - Pro David Rush of Palermo, Calif., caught a five-bass limit weighing 9 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win the Stren Series Western bass fishing tournament on Lake Oroville with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 29-8. For his victory, Rush earned $16,716 cash and a 198VX Ranger boat and trailer with an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard.
"I tried to stay away from everybody and fish a little different," said Rush. "I honestly thought Jason [Bubier] or [Michael] Tuck would win it."
"I caught more fish today than I did the first two days of the tournament," said Rush, who was throwing four- and six-inch Roboworms on fluorocarbon line and also 3/16-ounce Texas-rigged green pumpkin YUM Mega Tube. "I was fishing two to 30 foot deep focusing on post spawn at the major points heading out to the main lake. I was concentrating on points instead of fishing areas."
Rush opened the tournament in sixth place Thursday with five bass weighing 9-12. He then caught five bass weighing 10-2 Friday to make the crucial top 10 cut in fourth place.
Rounding out the top five pros are Ishama Monroe of Hughson, Calif. (15 bass, 29-4, $6,687); Jason Bubier of Oroville, Calif. (15 bass, 29-2, $5,349); Michael Tuck of Anelope, Calif. (15 bass, 29-1, $4,681); and Jeff Michaels of Lakehead, Calif. (15 bass, 28-6, $4,012).
Duane Dunstone of Reno, Nev., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Friday - a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass - that earned him the day's Big Bass award of $245.
Charles Peak of San Jose, Calif., won the Co-angler Division taking home a 177TX Ranger boat and trailer with an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard, with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 27-3. Peak fished with pros Glen Lockhart and James Miller on Thursday and Friday respectively, and sealed his victory fishing with Tuck on Saturday.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ken Whalen of Lompoc, Calif., (14 bass, 26-5, $2,905); J.R. Wright of Truckee, Calif. (15 bass, 25-11, $2,179); Kyle Baker of Lancaster, Calif. (15 bass, 25-7, $1,816); and Gary Morris, Tracy, Calif. (15 bass, 24-12, $1,634).
Whalen earned an additional $2,500 for being the highest finishing Ranger Cup qualifier earning him a total of $5,405.
Tom Salo of Yuba City, Calif., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday - a 3-pound, 5-ounce bass - that earned him the day's big bass award of $122.
The next Stren Series Western event, hosted by the City of Oakley, will be held May 28-30 on the California Delta in Oakley, Calif. Boats will launch from Russo's Marina in Bethel Island, Calif. and the final weigh-in will be held at the Walmart located at 4893 Lone Tree Way in Antioch, Calif.