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March 28, 2015 by Sean Ostruszka
Brad Roberts didn’t just catch more weight than his pro. By the time day two was over, the co-angler had weighed in the biggest bag of any angler on the day.
Leading the co-angler side going into the second day of the Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Evinrude on Lewis Smith Lake, Roberts sacked a giant 18 pounds, 13 ounces to complete a two-day sweep with an impressive 32-1.
“This feels awesome,” Roberts says. “I could only fish three [FLW Tour] events this year, and I picked this one because it’s a lot like Dale Hollow and Lake Cumberland back home. Obviously, I picked the right one.”
How impressive was what the Faubush, Ky., angler pulled off? His 18-13 beat the biggest pro weight on day two by 9 ounces (Jason Reyes, 18-4), and his 32-1 cumulative weight would have put him in fourth on the pro side after two days.
While most anglers’ weights dropped due to a cold front hitting the area, Roberts managed to increase his weight by alternating from what his pro was doing and using a little family knowledge.
“My dad finished second here as a co-angler a few years back,” Roberts explains. “So I knew a couple things to try from him.”
Fishing with pro Brad Knight today, Roberts keenly watched what Knight was throwing around the shallow spawning flats they were targeting. When Knight was throwing topwater, Roberts fished on the bottom with a floating worm on a Cumberland Pro Lures shaky head. When Knight started throwing a swimbait, Roberts threw a 3/8-ounce Cumberland Pro Lures swim jig for a different look.
“I really watched where he was casting, and if I saw an area where I thought a bed should be I threw at it,” Roberts explains. “I kind of guessed, and I guessed right.”
On day one Roberts was paired with Stephen McKinnie. The two hit main-lake points, and Roberts again bested his pro thanks to a combo of the shaky head and a Yamamoto Senko.
Local Todd Lee of Jasper, Ala., finished runner-up in front of his hometown crowd with 26-12. Cody Hammontree of Flat Rock, Ala., finished third with 23-13.
Top 10 Co-anglers
1. Brad Roberts – Faubush, Ky. – 32-1 (10) – $20,000 + Big Bass: $250
2. Todd Lee – Jasper, Ala. – 26-12 (10) – $7,500
3. Cody Hammontree – Flat Rock, Ala. – 23-13 (10) – $5,000
4. Lee Black – Danville, Ala. – 23-5 (10) – $4,000
5. Nick Thliveros – St. Augustine, Fla. – 22-11 (10) – $3,000
6. John Hunter – Shelbyville, Ky. – 21-14 (10) – $2,500
7. Mike Devere – Berea, Ky. – 20-15 (9) – $2,000
8. Casey Laughlin – Rowlett, Texas – 20-9 (10) – $1,800
9. Jimmy Kowalski – Lake Placid, Fla. – 20-5 (10) – $1,700
10. Joey Cifuentes – Clinton, Ark. – 19-11 (10) – $1,600
For complete results, click here.
