Audett wins BFLinaugural tourney
By PATTY LENDERMAN Lakecaster Managing Editor

IT WAS A LAST cast win for Robert Audett of Jasper,TX in the Boater division. Robert weighed in 20-02 lbs for the win. Outdoors photo/Patty Lenderman

The Walmart BFLLouisiana/Texas Division kicked off its 2008 season March 1 on Sam Rayburn. 177 anglers in each division,

Top weights on the Boater side inched up with each angler that came to the scales.

It was the last boater, Robert Audett that weighed the top stringer in that division, and the only one over the 20 lb mark!

"The fog was bad," Robert began. "It took a lot longer to get to my spot than normal. Thanks to my Lowrance GPS unit I found my way through the fog to my targeted area."

He headed to the back of a pocket to fish deep grass, 4'- 12' deep.

"Once I got there, I didn't have a bite for nearly an hour. I knew this spot was going to produce, it was just a matter of when. I just kept crankin' my bait over the grass, and finally put one in the boat. Turns out it was my smallest fish of the day, and my only cull.

"I moved to different areas for the next two hours, but didn't catch anything. The last 45 minutes left to fish I headed back to my first spot and tried it again. Not one bite.

"I caught one last nice bass. I culled a 15" bass with a five-pounder!"

It was the fish that won the tournament for him with a total weight of 20-02 lbs.

Melvin Dunn won 2nd place in the Boater division with 19-02 lbs. Each cull made a big difference for him, finishing in 2nd place for $2,791.00.

Michael Herron finished in 3rd place overall with 18- 12 lbs, but also won Big Bass honors with his 10-02 lb kicker.

The co-anglers came on strong, many with heavier stringers than their boaters.

Donny Robinson established the initial leader mark for the co-anglers, weighing in 17-05. Todd Ware came in with a 7-03 lb'r that lasted only a moment as the new Big Bass, until John Ellender, Jr. brought in his 21-14 lb. limit that won 1st place coangler, and his 8-13 lb kicker topped the pack for Big Bass honors. This was the heaviest sack of bass weighed in either division, and John was ecstatic.

Donny Robinson finished 2nd with 17-05. He had several nice chunks in his bag and enjoyed a $1,364 payday.

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