JASPER, Texas (Feb. 23, 2008) - Pro Dicky Newberry of Houston, Texas, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win the Stren Series Texas Division bass fishing tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir with a four-day total of 20 bass weighing 74-01. For his victory, Newberry earned $25,000 cash and a $40,000 198VX Ranger boat powered by Yamaha. He also earned $4,500 in Ranger Cup bonuses for a total of $69,500 in winnings.
"It feels good to finally win a Stren Series tournament here," said Newberry, who has 13 top-10 finishes on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in BFL and Stren Series competition since 1999. "I have a lake house on Sam Rayburn, and I fish here every weekend. In the past, being a local has hurt me because I had a tendency to move around too much and cover a lot of water. This tournament I was focused, and I fished a lot smarter."
Newberry opened the tournament Wednesday with five bass weighing 17-04. On Thursday he added another five bass weighing 17-01. He then caught five bass weighing 15-13 on Friday to make the crucial top 10 cut in fifth place.
"For three days I threw a red Rat-L-Trap on the outside edge of the grass in 5 to 6 feet of water," he added. "I paralleled the edge and kept my Rat-L-Trap ticking the top of the grass."
Newberry explained that he was catching about 15 to 20 keepers a day but wasn't getting the big bites. On day four a high pressure system moved in and he couldn't get the good bites on the Rat-L-Trap.
"I moved to an area where the fish were staged on a 14 foot drop outside the grass and I threw a football-head jig. My first cast I caught an 8-pounder and then on the second cast a 4-pounder," he said. "After catching my limit today, I moved toward the bank and threw a fluke in 2 feet of water and caught another 7-pounder. After, that I knew I had a good chance to win."
Rounding out the top five pros are Russell Cecil of Willis, Texas (19 bass, 72-05, $8,917 plus $5,000 Ranger bonus); Stephen Johnston of Hemphill, Texas (20 bass, 66-15, $8,026 plus $5,000 Ranger bonus); James Stricklin Jr. of Jasper, Texas (20 bass, 65-15, $7,134); and Toby Hartsell of Livingston, Texas (20 bass, 65-03, $6,242).
Mickey Moon of Prosper, Texas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Wednesday - a 10-pound bass - that earned him the day's Snickers Big Bass award of $268.
Overall there were 47 bass weighing 147 pounds, 12 ounces caught by 10 pros Saturday. The catch included eight five-bass limits.
Rich Dalbey of Greenville, Texas, won the Co-angler Division and $35,000, including a 198VX Ranger boat, with a four-day total of 20 bass weighing 58-01.
"I am so excited about this win," Dalbey said. "This is a great fishery, and I have to thank my boaters for getting me here."
Dalbey caught five bass weighing 15-11 Wednesday throwing a Rat-L-Trap while fishing with pro Charles Dubroc of Hessmer, La., to open the tournament in eighth place. He then caught five bass weighing 18-08 Thursday using throwing a Rat-L-Trap and a Carolina rig while fishing with pro Buz Craft of Vidalia, Texas, to capture his lead. On Friday he added five more bass weighing 9-04 to make the top 10 cut in first place fishing with pro Nicholas Albus of Trinity, Texas. Finally, on Saturday, he sealed the win with a five-bass catch weighing 14-10 continuing to throw a Rat-L-Trap with pro Russell Cecil of Willis, Texas.
"All the fish I caught this week were around shallow grass in 4 to 6 feet of water," he added. "I know it seems that everyone caught their fish on a red Rat-L-Trap but I caught all my fish on a gold Rat-L-Trap. Gold just worked better for me."
Dalbey is hoping to qualify for the 2008 Stren Series Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo. Table Rock was his home lake for 14 years and he would love the opportunity to fish the lake again.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Nick Diberardino of Huffman, Texas (20 bass, 54-11, $3,659); Steve Evans of Lufkin, Texas (20 bass, 54-10, $2,973); Dan West of Ada, Okla. (17 bass, 49-11, $2,287); and Jonathan Simon of Orange, Texas (16 bass, 46-02, $1,830).
John Moon of Brookeland, Texas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday - an 9-pound bass- that earned him the day's Snickers Big Bass award of $138.
Overall there were 32 bass weighing 82 pounds caught by 10 co-anglers Saturday. The catch included three five-bass limits.