Newberry Wins Walmart BFL on Sam Rayburn

Boater Dicky Newberry of Houston, Texas, grabbed the tournament title during the Feb. 8 Walmart BFL Cowboy Division event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir using a total catch of 19 pounds, 4 ounces. Newberry walked away with over $7,600 in winnings thanks to his first-place finish as well as Ranger Cup and Mercury bonuses.

BROOKELAND, Texas – Dicky Newberry of Houston, Texas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win the first Walmart Bass Fishing League Cowboy Division tournament of 2014 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. For his victory, Newberry earned $7,652.

Newberry notched his ninth BFL win on a stingy Sam Rayburn by relying on a grind-it-out mentality and judiciously applied local knowledge.

“The fishing was really tough on Rayburn,” said Newberry. “It’s been really cold and the water temperature was down to 45 degrees, and that’s colder than it’s been in years.

“I caught the first four on the edge of the grass on a Rat-L-Trap. Once I caught the first one I stuck with it in the same area. Later on, I backed off and threw a ¼-ounce Santone jig into grass, and apparently the fish had gotten tired of seeing that same Rat-L-Trap come past, because one hit it first cast and it was my big fish.

“I was throwing to about a 50-foot circle between two stumps. I only caught five fish all day. I went to a few other areas but never got a bite. Being persistent and staying with it was key,” finished Newberry. “I just made the same cast over and over again, and most people don’t do that.”

Rounding out the top 10 pros were:

2nd: Ricky Guy, Humble, Texas, five bass, 17-1, $2,326
3rd: Pete Lowe, Woodworth, La., five bass, 16-0, $1,551
4th: Tommy Mendoza, Lake Charles, La., four bass, 15-7, $1,086
5th: Mark Tullis, Conroe, Texas, four bass, 14-3, $930
6th: Michael LaFleur, Orangefield, Texas, five bass, 13-10, $853
7th: Alex Manitzas, Deridder, La., four bass, 12-12, $775
8th: Scott Bailey, Longview, Texas, four bass, 12-6, $698
9th: Michael Garrett, Pearland, Texas, three bass, 10-13, $581
9th: Kevin Gressett, Tioga, Texas, three bass, 10-13, $581

Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.

Jerry Strother of Glenmora, La., weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 13 ounces Saturday to win $2,326 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

2nd: James Littleford, Seabrook, Texas, four bass, 15-2, $1,163
3rd: William Leon Gaston Jr., Shreveport, La., four bass, 11-13, $660
3rd: Eddie Lindley, Ulm, Ark., four bass, 11-13, $660
5th: John Morris, Houston, Texas, two bass, 10-11, $465
6th: Bill Rogers, Jasper, Texas, five bass, 10-2, $426
7th: Randall Bellard, Denham Springs, La., two bass, 8-08, $388
8th: Rocky Parker, Kyle, Texas, two bass, 8-0, $349
9th: Albert Kissinger, Brookeland, Texas, two bass, 6-12, $310
10th: Randy Pewthers, Pearland, Texas, two bass, 6-9, $257
10th: Klint Myers, Hampshire, Texas, two bass, 6-9, $257

The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 9-11 Regional Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.