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Arkansas' McCaghren Lands His
First Bassmaster Win at Central Open on the Red River
April 26, 2008 - Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
- Saturday was a day of firsts for Billy McCaghren Jr. of
Mayflower, Ark.: He claimed his first BASS victory and it was
his first wire-to-wire win.
"Pretty amazing," McCaghren, a 36-year-old
who works in a family-owned welding business, said as he took
home the first-place payout of $50,400 for a 54-pound total in
the circuit's season opener.
He outdid veteran BASS pro and Red River guide
Homer Humphreys Jr. of Minden, La., whose 51-7 earned him second
place. Humphreys was runner-up to McCaghren throughout the three-day
event.
Jerry Williams of Conway, Ark., toted a 21-13 bag
of bass to the scales Saturday, vaulting him from eighth place
to finish third with 50-12. In fourth with 48-13 was 19-year-old
Kyle Fox of Lakeland, Fla.. Fifth was the 2007 Red River Central
Open champion, Danny Smith of Monterey, La., with 45-7.
"I knew I was on potential fish to win if
I could have them partly to myself and execute well," McCaghren
said. "Every fish I caught came out of Sullivan's Lake on
the lower end of Pool 4.
"The key was that I was fishing deeper water
than most of the other guys, and getting some late-spawning fish.
They spawn exactly the same way on the lake I live on in Arkansas,
Lake Conway - on the doughnut ring (roots) of cypress trees."
He said he caught all his fish on a 6-inch junebug-colored
Berkley Power Lizard, rigged with a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce Tungsten
sinker, making the weight choice according to the prevailing
wind. He said he cast the lizard to the tree and let it fall
straight down.
"Either they'd take it on the fall or they
got it when I bumped the ring," McCaghren said.
He said he's aiming for one of the three entries
in the 2009 Bassmaster Classic awarded through the Central Open
points race.
"That's what I've come for," he said.
Like the Central Open event, the Feb. 20-22 Classic will be on
the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La.
The season-long points race also determines the
10 Central Open pros who will get invitations to join the 2009
Bassmaster Elite Series, a long-term goal for McCaghren.
Humphreys, who won a 2002 Bassmaster Open event
on the Red River, said almost all his fish came from a 30-yard
stretch in sight of Clark's Red River Marina. He said he watched
other pros come and go empty-handed, but he had a technique that
produced.
"There was so much pressure there, and everybody
was throwing a spinnerbait," Humphreys said, "but they
were leaving out a 3-foot stretch from where the bank begins
in inches of water, out to 3 feet. I found a way to work that
water, got all my fish early and just sat there the rest of the
day."
He said he was swimming a BassGitter jig, a black/brown/amber
color, and a Chatterbait that helped him get into that shallow
strip of water.
"It was a 12-minute run from the launch site,"
he said. "We (Humphreys and his daily co-angler) caught
90 pounds of fish this week there, on the north side of the marina."
Five Bassmaster Elite Series pros finished in the
top 30. Elite rookie Clark Reehm of Russellville, Ark., finished
sixth with 45-0. South Dakota's Jami Fralick was 13th; four-time
Bassmaster Classic champion Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., placed 17th;
Louisiana's Greg Hackney finished 19th; and Oklahoma's Bradley
Hallman was 26th.
In the co-angler division, Heath Willard of Brookhaven,
Miss., won the first-place prize of a Skeeter/Yamaha boat rig
valued at $32,000 for his 43-pound total.
"I never would have dreamed I'd catch that
many fish," Willard said. "I got most of them on a
white, Strike King RedEye spinnerbait the first two days, and
used a homemade jig the last day. Most were off cypress trees."
Like McCaghren, Willard is a 36-year-old welder.
Willard said he has fished BASS Federation Nation events previously
but entered the Open, his first, to learn from the pros.
Second in the co-angler division was Paul Cobb
of Montgomery, La., with 42-12. Larry Rike of Callisburg, Texas,
was third with 33-1.
2008 Central 1 - Shreveport, LA 4/24-4/26
Red River, Shreveport LA.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown
No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Billy McCaghren Jr. Mayflower, AR
15 54-00 315 $51,400.00
Day 1: 5 21-04 Day 2: 5 16-06 Day
3: 5 16-06
2. Homer Humphreys, Jr. Minden, LA
15 51-07 295 $22,400.00
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day
3: 5 15-12
3. Jerry Williams Conway, AR
15 50-12 290 $20,040.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 12-10 Day
3: 5 21-13
4. Kyle A. Fox Lakeland, FL
15 48-13 285 $14,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day
3: 5 18-05
5. Danny Smith Monterey, LA
14 45-07 280 $11,200.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 15-05 Day
3: 4 12-06
6. Clark Reehm Russellville, AR
15 45-00 276 $10,080.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 20-00 Day
3: 5 11-03
7. Sammy Burks Joplin, MO
15 43-14 272 $8,960.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 14-09 Day
3: 5 11-09
8. Mike Pedroza Sibley, LA
15 42-04 268 $7,840.00
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day
3: 5 15-15
9. Mark Goines Shady Point, OK
15 40-14 264 $6,720.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 15-01 Day
3: 5 12-12
10. Roger Boler Slidell, LA
15 39-10 257 $4,667.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 11-13 Day
3: 5 16-03
10. Tom Hamlin Lizella, GA
15 39-10 257 $4,667.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 12-02 Day
3: 5 12-01
10. Jamie Laiche Gonzales, LA
15 39-10 257 $4,667.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 10-08 Day
3: 5 14-06
13. Jami Fralick Martin, SD
14 39-03 251 $3,360.00
Day 1: 4 08-00 Day 2: 5 19-00 Day
3: 5 12-03
14. Patrick Pierce Jacksonville, FL
15 37-04 248 $2,800.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 09-10 Day
3: 5 12-08
15. Marc Schilling Richardson, TX
15 37-01 245 $2,520.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 11-07 Day
3: 5 12-10
16. Trent Huckaby Fort Stockton, TX
15 36-08 243 $2,240.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 10-00 Day
3: 5 13-07
17. Rick Clunn Ava, MO
15 36-07 241 $2,184.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 07-13 Day
3: 5 13-03
18. John Gray Noblesville, IN
13 34-05 239 $2,128.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 4 10-12 Day
3: 4 11-12
19. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA
11 34-04 237 $2,072.00
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 17-12 Day
3: 1 02-09
20. Michael Burns Plano, TX
14 33-11 234 $1,988.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 07-14 Day
3: 4 09-05
20. Russell Parrish Robinson, TX
14 33-11 234 $1,988.00
Day 1: 4 10-07 Day 2: 5 13-03 Day
3: 5 10-01
22. Lucy Mize Ben Lomond, AR
15 33-10 231 $1,904.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 11-06 Day
3: 5 08-11
23. Scott Pennington Crossett, AR
15 33-03 229 $1,848.00
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 11-06 Day
3: 5 10-12
24. Gary Giudice Norman, OK
12 31-04 227 $1,792.00
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 3 08-00 Day
3: 4 05-13
25. Aaron Johnson Bossier City, LA
13 30-11 225 $1,736.00
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 5 17-12 Day
3: 3 04-06
26. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK
13 30-10 223 $1,680.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-13 Day
3: 3 05-02
27. Monty Fralick Martin, SD
12 29-14 221 $1,624.00
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day
3: 2 05-06
28. Ken Adamson Stuttgart, AR
14 29-05 219 $1,568.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 09-09 Day
3: 4 06-04
29. Mark Smith West Monroe, LA
14 29-03 217 $1,512.00
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 12-02 Day
3: 4 06-09
30. Justin Haynes Tulsa, OK
11 23-13 215 $1,456.00
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day
3: 1 01-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PUROLATOR BIG BASS
Day
1 Billy McCaghren Jr. Mayflower, AR
06-10 $1,000.00
2 Preston Johnson Rice Lake, WI
05-07 $1,000.00
3 Jerry Williams Conway, AR
05-13 $1,000.00
PUROLATOR BIG BASS OF TOURN
Andy McDaniel Roxie, MS
07-06 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 94 661 1436-09
2 69 577 1237-10
3 19 129 330-04
----------------------------------
182 1367 3004-07
2008 Central 1 - Shreveport, LA 4/24-4/26
Red River, Shreveport LA.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown
No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Heath Willard Brookhaven, MS
14 43-00 310 $32,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day
3: 4 14-03
2. Paul Cobb Montgomery, LA
15 42-12 295 $5,600.00
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 18-12 Day
3: 5 14-13
3. Larry Rike Callisburg, TX
15 33-01287.5 $4,220.00
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 06-09 Day
3: 5 12-07
3. Brent Cutrer Natchez, MS
14 33-01287.5 $3,920.00
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 4 09-09 Day
3: 5 09-10
5. Anthony Plescia Slidell, LA
13 32-10 280 $2,800.00
Day 1: 3 11-01 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day
3: 5 09-15
6. Jeremi Farrar Bossier City, LA
13 32-01 276 $2,520.00
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 3 08-08 Day
3: 5 15-03
7. Thomas Davis West Monroe, LA
15 29-15 272 $2,240.00
Day 1: 5 07-03 Day 2: 5 13-10 Day
3: 5 09-02
8. Randy Farrar Elm Grove, LA
15 29-14 268 $2,128.00
Day 1: 5 07-14 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day
3: 5 09-11
9. Doug Johnson Shreveport, LA
14 29-07 264 $1,904.00
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 4 08-15 Day
3: 5 10-14
10. John Hayen Hurst, TX
11 28-05 260 $1,456.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 1 03-01 Day
3: 5 10-14
11. John Coleman Benton, LA
10 27-14 257 $1,232.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day
3: 5 11-03
12. Jeff Holder Bossier City, LA
15 27-10 254 $1,120.00
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 07-06 Day
3: 5 09-04
13. Mike Archer Denison, TX
14 27-03 251 $1,008.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 07-11 Day
3: 4 05-12
14. Kirk Smith Edmond, OK
11 26-05 248 $896.00
Day 1: 4 11-10 Day 2: 2 05-04 Day
3: 5 09-07
15. Tim Wheeler Muskogee, OK
11 26-04 245 $784.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 06-09 Day
3: 1 04-04
16. Bob Howard Colorado Springs, CO
10 25-08 243 $756.00
Day 1: 3 09-01 Day 2: 2 05-13 Day
3: 5 10-10
17. Leroy Conway Lawton, OK
11 25-01 240 $714.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 4 10-01 Day
3: 2 03-00
17. Steven Clay Oklahoma City, OK
10 25-01 240 $714.00
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day
3: 3 06-09
19. Rocky Cummings Emmet, AR
13 24-01 237 $672.00
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 3 05-03 Day
3: 5 08-06
20. Kevin Barnicoat Oklahoma City, OK
11 21-14 235 $644.00
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 2 04-07 Day
3: 4 06-12
21. Kevin Culpepper Seminary, MS
9 21-10 233 $616.00
Day 1: 5 08-08 Day 2: 2 10-01 Day
3: 2 03-01
22. Keith Morris Nacogdoches, TX
10 21-05 231 $860.00
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 3 10-02 Day
3: 2 04-02
23. Jeff Lantz Haughton, LA
10 21-04 229 $532.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 11-06 Day
3: 0 00-00
24. Paul Sims Haughton, LA
13 20-05 227 $504.00
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 05-14 Day
3: 3 05-01
25. Andy McDaniel Roxie, MS
6 20-02 230 $1,776.00
Day 1: 4 16-10 Day 2: 1 02-05 Day
3: 1 01-03
26. Mike Perkins Dallas, TX
9 19-15 223 $448.00
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 3 07-06 Day
3: 1 03-10
27. Mark Richard Bridge City, LA
8 19-00 221 $420.00
Day 1: 4 09-04 Day 2: 2 06-00 Day
3: 2 03-12
28. Robert Bogard Conway, AR
11 18-07 219 $392.00
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 4 09-02 Day
3: 2 02-07
29. Kathy Crowder Sherwood, AR
7 18-05 217 $364.00
Day 1: 2 06-15 Day 2: 4 10-04 Day
3: 1 01-02
30. Chris Louviere Sulphur, LA
10 17-03 215 $336.00
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 09-00 Day
3: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PUROLATOR BIG BASS
Day
1 Andy McDaniel Roxie, MS
07-06 $300.00
2 Keith Morris Nacogdoches, TX
06-09 $300.00
3 Larry Rike Callisburg, TX
05-06 $300.00
PUROLATOR BIG BASS OF TOURN
Andy McDaniel Roxie, MS
07-06 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 45 469 892-12
2 24 359 757-07
3 14 102 216-05
----------------------------------
83 930 1866-08
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