BENTON, Ky. (June 10, 2006) - Pro Sam Lashlee of Camden, Tenn., caught a final-round total of 10 bass weighing 44 pounds, 15 ounces to win the Stren Series Midwest Division bass fishing tournament on Kentucky/Barkley lakes. Lashlee earned a new 519VX Ranger plus $10,000 cash for his win.
Lashlee joined a select few anglers to win two major events in two consecutive weeks. He won the Wal-Mart FLW Series event on Old Hickory Lake just last week to earn $100,000, and now adds this Stren Series victory to that for a total of $150,000 in cash and prizes in just two weeks.
On Old Hickory, Lashlee worked the ledges with Strike King crankbaits and jigs to catch his bass. He's been doing the same thing all week in the extreme southern end of Kentucky Lake - a lake renowned for its excellent ledge fishing. Lashlee has been beginning his day by catching a limit early on a crankbait and then switching to a Strike King football-head jig and a big plastic worm to upgrade.
"I'd usually get a kicker or two on the crankbait, but I'd mainly switch back and forth between the worm and the jig later in the day after the sun would come out," Lashlee said.
"You can just pinch me, wake me up, this is like a dream," Lashlee said about his amazing run. "I've won a lot of small tournaments, but never anything like this. I'd love to do this full-time; it's always been my dream."
Rounding out the top five pros are Yancy Windham of Gordo, Ala. (10 bass, 38 pounds, 2 ounces, $10,000); Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas (10 bass, 33 pounds, 6 ounces, $9,000 plus $1,500 Ranger Cup award); Kenneth Chapman of Woodlawn, Tenn. (10 bass, 32 pounds, 15 ounces, $8,000); and Drew Lynch of Paducah, Ky. (10 bass, 32 pounds, 9 ounces, $7,500).
Ron Fabiszak of South Bend, Ind., won the Co-angler Division and earned $5,000. He caught 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 12 ounces during the final round. Fabiszak fished with Lashlee on the final day.
"I probably had 15 keepers today," Fabiszak said. "I've been catching my biggest fish on a Carolina rig all week, but they wanted a jig today. On my first cast with it, I caught a 3-pounder and was able to cull. Every time you'd rip it out of the grass, they'd hit it.
"I did lose a giant, probably a 7 1/2-pounder, today at around noon, and when that happened, I thought 'stick a fork in me, because I'm done. But it all worked out."
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jeramiah Sifers of Sellersburg, Ind. (nine bass, 28 pounds, 13 ounces, $4,000); Jesse Wolfe of Nelson, Wis. (10 bass, 27 pounds, $3,500); Brendan Murphy of Cape Girardeau, Mo. (eight bass, 25 pounds, 13 ounces, $2,500); and Fred McCormick of Greenville, Ind. (eight bass, 21 pounds, 12 ounces, $2,000).