Co-angler Bryan New won the Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Eufaula with a three-day total of 27 pounds, 7 ounces.
EUFAULA, Ala. - Heading back to weigh-in Saturday afternoon, Bryan New never imagined he had just won the Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Eufaula. After all, New had caught just one keeper bass and co-angler big sticks Jason Johnson and Richard Peek were accompanying him in the top 10. After placing his 3-pounder on the scale, Johnson walked up with what appeared to be a full bag. As it turned out, it was a lighthearted trick as the bag was full of water and not a single bass. And just like that, the 23-year-old New won $20,000. "I had one fish today, who would have ever thought I'd win this thing," exclaimed New. "It just worked out for me. When it's your time, it's your time." New had a feeling it would be a special week when he roped a 5 1/2-pounder on his 10th cast of the tournament. That first day he caught his fish on a 1/8-ounce Lake Norman Bait and Tackle shaky head with a Charlie's Worms finesse worm (black color). On day two, the shaky head wasn't' working and his pro partner, Guido Hibdon, convinced to switch a soft-plastic stickbait. "Guido had already culled one before I caught my first keeper that day," said New, who manages pro Brent Long's new shop, Lake Norman Bait and Tackle. "He told me, `I'm not one to tell you what to do, but you better tie on one of these.'" New wisely took the veteran's advice to heart and started Carolina rigging a Charlie's Worms Salt Bang-O. He Texas-rigged the Bang-O and worked it with a 3/16-ounce weight. "I started throwing that Bang-O to dark spots I saw with my Typhoon sunglasses. I culled twice onday two and that's how I got most of my bites." On day three New was fishless by mid-morning and thunderstorms were starting to roll in. "I had just looked down at the GPS and it read 11:09. There was a big lightning strike and then boom I set the hook." That lone keeper bit the same Charlie's Worms finesse worm, although it was Carolina-rigged with a heavier 3/4-ounce weight since New was fishing deeper with pro Randy Haynes. "I really think the scent of that finesse worm was the key this week. Nobody else has anything like it." New, who finished the three-day event with 27 pounds, 7 ounces, said he plans to drop his big check in the bank and get back to work for Long. Johnson slips to second Johnson has had a phenomenal FLW Tour season, but in back-to-back events he's held the lead going into the final day only to let it slip away. Today he drew Bryan Thrift and the Chevy pro was targeting small, specific pieces of offshore structure. Johnson has fished similar patterns before, but always from the front of his own boat. Today, he learned firsthand how tough it can be for a co-angler. "He fished so fast that when I threw my crankbait out I would reel it in and it would be time to go to the next spot. He was getting two casts to my one." Johnson caught four stripers on the day and a spotted bass that wouldn't measure. Earlier in the week he relied on a Gambler Southern Swim Jig tipped with a Gambler EZ Swimmer and a drop-shot with a Roboworm. Despite zeroing on the final day, Johnson earned $7,500 for second place. His total weight was 24 pounds, 13 ounces. "I've got to find a way to get rid of this cut-day jinx." Johnson is now setting his sights on the Co-angler of the Year title. With two events left, he sits in second place behind Peek. Clark finishes third The bad news for Randy Clark was that he failed to catch a keeper bass on day three. The good news is that it didn't cost him any ground in the standings. Clark finished the tournament with a total weight of 21 pounds, 11 ounces, earning $5,000. The Pascagoula, Miss., who notched his first FLW Tour top-10 since 2006, is best known on tour as a spiritual advisor to Scott Martin. Sprague, Green round out top five Jeff Sprague only caught one keeper Saturday but it moved him up to fourth from sixth. That largemouth weighed 3 pounds, 15 ounces and gave him 21-10 for the week. The Point, Texas, co-angler earned $4,000. Ronnie Green of Tampa, Fla., rounds out the top five with 21 pounds, 9 ounces. Green's two keepers Saturday weighed 3 pounds, 5 ounces. He earned $3,000. Rest of the best Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers at the FLW Tour event on Lake Eufaula: 6th: Tony O'Neal of Thomaston, Ga., 19-1, $2,500 7th: Jordan Lee of Auburn, Ala., 18-5, $2,000 8th: Justin Jones of Apex, N.C., 18-2, $1,800 9th: Richard Peek of Centre, Ala., 17-14, $1,700 10th: Howard Poitevint of Bainbridge, Ga., 16-8, $1,600
NEW CLAIMS EUFAULA WITH LONE 3-POUNDER
Co-angler Bryan New won the Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Eufaula with a three-day total of 27 pounds, 7 ounces.
EUFAULA, Ala. - Heading back to weigh-in Saturday afternoon, Bryan New never imagined he had just won the Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Eufaula. After all, New had caught just one keeper bass and co-angler big sticks Jason Johnson and Richard Peek were accompanying him in the top 10. After placing his 3-pounder on the scale, Johnson walked up with what appeared to be a full bag. As it turned out, it was a lighthearted trick as the bag was full of water and not a single bass. And just like that, the 23-year-old New won $20,000. "I had one fish today, who would have ever thought I'd win this thing," exclaimed New. "It just worked out for me. When it's your time, it's your time." New had a feeling it would be a special week when he roped a 5 1/2-pounder on his 10th cast of the tournament. That first day he caught his fish on a 1/8-ounce Lake Norman Bait and Tackle shaky head with a Charlie's Worms finesse worm (black color). On day two, the shaky head wasn't' working and his pro partner, Guido Hibdon, convinced to switch a soft-plastic stickbait. "Guido had already culled one before I caught my first keeper that day," said New, who manages pro Brent Long's new shop, Lake Norman Bait and Tackle. "He told me, `I'm not one to tell you what to do, but you better tie on one of these.'" New wisely took the veteran's advice to heart and started Carolina rigging a Charlie's Worms Salt Bang-O. He Texas-rigged the Bang-O and worked it with a 3/16-ounce weight. "I started throwing that Bang-O to dark spots I saw with my Typhoon sunglasses. I culled twice onday two and that's how I got most of my bites." On day three New was fishless by mid-morning and thunderstorms were starting to roll in. "I had just looked down at the GPS and it read 11:09. There was a big lightning strike and then boom I set the hook." That lone keeper bit the same Charlie's Worms finesse worm, although it was Carolina-rigged with a heavier 3/4-ounce weight since New was fishing deeper with pro Randy Haynes. "I really think the scent of that finesse worm was the key this week. Nobody else has anything like it." New, who finished the three-day event with 27 pounds, 7 ounces, said he plans to drop his big check in the bank and get back to work for Long. Johnson slips to second Johnson has had a phenomenal FLW Tour season, but in back-to-back events he's held the lead going into the final day only to let it slip away. Today he drew Bryan Thrift and the Chevy pro was targeting small, specific pieces of offshore structure. Johnson has fished similar patterns before, but always from the front of his own boat. Today, he learned firsthand how tough it can be for a co-angler. "He fished so fast that when I threw my crankbait out I would reel it in and it would be time to go to the next spot. He was getting two casts to my one." Johnson caught four stripers on the day and a spotted bass that wouldn't measure. Earlier in the week he relied on a Gambler Southern Swim Jig tipped with a Gambler EZ Swimmer and a drop-shot with a Roboworm. Despite zeroing on the final day, Johnson earned $7,500 for second place. His total weight was 24 pounds, 13 ounces. "I've got to find a way to get rid of this cut-day jinx." Johnson is now setting his sights on the Co-angler of the Year title. With two events left, he sits in second place behind Peek. Clark finishes third The bad news for Randy Clark was that he failed to catch a keeper bass on day three. The good news is that it didn't cost him any ground in the standings. Clark finished the tournament with a total weight of 21 pounds, 11 ounces, earning $5,000. The Pascagoula, Miss., who notched his first FLW Tour top-10 since 2006, is best known on tour as a spiritual advisor to Scott Martin. Sprague, Green round out top five Jeff Sprague only caught one keeper Saturday but it moved him up to fourth from sixth. That largemouth weighed 3 pounds, 15 ounces and gave him 21-10 for the week. The Point, Texas, co-angler earned $4,000. Ronnie Green of Tampa, Fla., rounds out the top five with 21 pounds, 9 ounces. Green's two keepers Saturday weighed 3 pounds, 5 ounces. He earned $3,000. Rest of the best Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers at the FLW Tour event on Lake Eufaula: 6th: Tony O'Neal of Thomaston, Ga., 19-1, $2,500 7th: Jordan Lee of Auburn, Ala., 18-5, $2,000 8th: Justin Jones of Apex, N.C., 18-2, $1,800 9th: Richard Peek of Centre, Ala., 17-14, $1,700 10th: Howard Poitevint of Bainbridge, Ga., 16-8, $1,600
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