Rayburn Central Stren
Martin Wins With 36-00

Photo: FLW Outdoors/Brett Carlson Lendell Martin caught the biggest limit on day 4 and won the Rayburn Central Stren by nearly 5 pounds.

The 52-year-old Texan's 14-12 bag gave him a 2-day total of 36-00. He finished 4-13 ahead of runner-up and division points champion Chris McCall of Texas, who caught 14-01 today for a 31-03 total.

Texas' Michael Lowery ended up a distant 3rd with 25-13 (12-14 today). Louisiana's Kevin Lasyone was 4th with 24-03 (10-05 today) and Indiana's David Moore was 5th with 21-05 (7-14 today).

Here's how the rest of the Top 10 field finished:

6. Jeremy Guidry: 21-04
7. Jason Reyes: 20-05
8. David Curtis: 19-15
9. Bradley Stringer: 19-07
10. Alan Bond: 17-03

The field launched a half-hour early today as FLW Outdoors officials tried to give the anglers a chance to reach their primary areas ahead of competitors in a 300-boat local tournament. Several said they'd have come in with lighter bags had they not had the head start.

It was another warm, breezy day in the Jasper, Texas area. The entire tournament was conducted under a stable weather pattern – a rare phenomenon for Texas in the spring.

Martin's Celebration Tempered

Martin had little time to relish the victory. Immediately after the weigh-in, he accompanied his 74-year-old mother to a hospital emergency room.

"She'd been out in that heat and she wasn't responding to us at all," he said from the hospital. "After we got here over here, she finally started responding some.

"We're hoping it was just due to the heat, which she shouldn't have been out in to begin with. I was worried that she was having a stroke."

As for the win, the five-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier said he was "just tickled to death. I've won a lot of tournaments, but this is the best finish I've had in an FLW or (Bassmaster) tournament."

He caught his key fish today on a jig and a frog in the extreme north end of the lake – a location he had all to himself.

Details of his winning pattern will be posted soon.

2nd: Mixed Feelings for McCall

McCall's main goal coming into the tournament was to secure the points title, and he accomplished that when he made the Top 20 on day 2. He was shooting for his second win here this year – he won the March event that was relocated from nearby Toledo Bend due to low water.

"I feel good about (my finish) because I didn't know I could do this well," he said. I usually struggle here in May.

"On the other hand, this is my fifth 2nd-place finish in FLW events, and I've had about enough of those."

He's been the runner-up in three Strens, an FLW Tour event and a Texas Tournament Trail event.

He had just one regret. "I kind of wish I'd started in a different place this morning, since I had so much ground to make up," he said. "But I didn't miss any fish and I fished well, both mentally and pattern-wise. It was a good tournament."

He focused on peppergrass in 2 to 5 feet of water on flats. Most of his weigh-in fish came on a Gambler Cane Toad tied to 50-pound Berkley Spiderwire Stealth.

"That Stealth made all the difference in getting them out of that salad," he said.

4th: Big Bites Elude Lasyone

Like Martin and McCall, Lasyone had a short practice session on the heels of the Kentucky Lake FLW Tour. Because of that, he was pleased with his finish.

"I feel great about it," he said. "After the first day (of practice), I thought I had a chance to make the cut.

"I know there were big fish where I was fishing, and if they'd bit, I could have done better. I caught one 5-pounder on the first day, but that was it."

His primary pattern was flipping a 1/2-ounce jig with a junebug craw trailer to bushes, cypress trees and stumps.

"I fished all 4 days in the same place," he said. "If I'd had more (practice) time, I would've tried to find more areas. I just ran out of fish."

7th: Reyes Makes Championship

Reyes was thrilled with his finish because it gave him a berth in the Stren Championship at Alabama's Lake Wheeler in May. He moved up 29 places to 31st in the points, which was nine spots farther than he needed to go to make the Championship.

"I feel great," he said. "I came in needing about a Top 30, and I got a Top 10 instead."

He fished a frog in scattered peppergrass to catch his bigger fish. It was a pattern he was able to work in several locations.

"I could run-and-gun and cull up to 12 or 13 pounds every day," he said. "I thought a 20-pound sack was possible, but I didn't get the bites I needed."

He started each day with a shakey-head worm. "I'd get two or three in the box doing that, and it was a nice safety blanket."

Notable

> Day 4 stats – 10 anglers, six limits, 2 threes, 2 twos.

> Once he accumulated a weight that he thought would be sufficient to win, he went back to the dam in an attempt to help co-angler John Cure upgrade his bag. Cure won his division by 11 ounces with a 22-13 total.

> McCall said he fished only peppergrass stalks that grew to the water's surface. There were some that grew to 6 inches or a foot under, but I couldn't get bit on them."

Day 4 (Final) Standings

1. Lendell Martin Jr. -- Nacogdoches, Tx -- 5, 21-04 -- 5, 14-12 -- 10, 36-00 -- $10,000 + $10,000 + boat

2. Chris McCall -- Jasper, Tx -- 5, 17-02 -- 5, 14-01 -- 10, 31-03 -- $10,000

3. Michael Lowery -- Etoile, Tx -- 5, 12-15 -- 5, 12-14 -- 10, 25-13 -- $8,750

4. Kevin Lasyone -- Dry Prong, La -- 5, 13-14 -- 5, 10-05 -- 10, 24-03 -- $7,750

5. David Moore -- Cambridge City, In -- 5, 13-07 -- 2, 7-14 -- 7, 21-05 -- $7,250

6. Jeremy Guidry -- Opelousas, La -- 5, 14-00 -- 2, 7-04 -- 7, 21-04 -- $6,250

7. Jason Reyes -- Humble, Tx -- 5, 12-07 -- 5, 7-14 -- 10, 20-05 -- $5,250

8. David Curtis -- Trinity, Tx -- 5, 10-05 -- 5, 9-10 -- 10, 19-15 -- $4,750

9. Bradley Stringer -- Huntington, Tx -- 5, 13-05 -- 3, 6-02 -- 8, 19-07 -- $4,250

10. Alan Bond -- Vidor, Tx -- 5, 13-04 -- 3, 3-15 -- 8, 17-03 -- $3,750

Final Central Points

1. Chris McCall -- Jasper, Tx -- 788
2. Keith Combs -- Temple, Tx -- 733
3. Trent Huckaby -- Fort Stockton, Tx -- 706
4. Chris Slopak -- Prairie Grove, Ar -- 702
5. Charles Simmons -- Waco, Tx -- 669
6. Tommy Dickerson -- Orange, Tx -- 653
7. David Moore -- Cambridge City, In -- 653
8. Derek Remitz -- Hemphill, Tx -- 647
9. Craig Dowling -- Many, La -- 643
10. David Truax -- Beaumont, Tx -- 643
11. Rick Turner -- Tyler, Tx -- 642
12. David Mauldin -- Tomball, Tx -- 627
13. Kevin Lasyone -- Dry Prong, La -- 620
14. Darryl Folse -- Addis, La -- 619
15. Ricky D. Scott -- Van Buren, Ar -- 618
16. Alan Bond -- Vidor, Tx -- 614
17. Tim Reneau -- Seguin, Tx -- 611
18. Russell Cecil -- Willis, Tx -- 609
19. Larry Rea -- Stigler, Ok -- 602
20. Robert Case -- Point, Tx -- 602
21. Tommy Dillon -- Manhattan, Ks -- 602
22. Ben Matsubu -- Hemphill, Tx -- 601
23. Ray Hanselman -- Del Rio, Tx -- 596
24. David Curtis -- Trinity, Tx -- 595
25. Dicky Newberry -- Houston, Tx -- 592
26. Toby Hartsell -- Livingston, Tx -- 591
27. Wade Middleton -- San Antonio, Tx -- 588
28. Lendell Martin Jr -- Nacogdoches, Tx -- 587
29. Randy Millender -- Teague, Tx -- 582
30. Matthew Mize -- Ben Lomond, Ar -- 570
31. Jason Reyes -- Humble, Tx -- 569
32. Cody Bird -- Granbury, Tx -- 564
33. Lance Vick -- Mineola, Tx -- 558
34. Scott David -- Goodrich, Tx -- 558
35. Ron Hopkins Sr -- Mounds, Ok -- 552
36. Steve McCain -- Graford, Tx -- 547
37. Wesley Dawson -- Silsbee, Tx -- 544
38. Hiroshi Uchida -- Chiba, Japan 272-0025, -- 542
39. Tommy Martin -- Hemphill, Tx -- 538
40. Scott Hoing -- Diana, Tx -- 533
41. Guy Adams -- Marble Falls, Tx -- 530
42. Scotty Villines -- Ponca, Ar -- 529
43. Craig Workman -- Fort Worth, Tx -- 529
44. Daniel Kweekul -- North Little Rock, Ar -- 526
45. Jerry Green -- Justiceburg, Tx -- 519
46. Mark A. Richard -- Bridge City, La -- 516
47. David Cochran -- Royal, Ar -- 512
48. Billy Graves -- Montgomery, La -- 512
49. Spencer McAalester -- Denison, Tx -- 512
50. John Cox -- Austin, Tx -- 509
51. Dan Schoonveld -- Hemphill, Tx -- 508
52. Harold Moore -- College Station, Tx -- 504
53. Robert Collett -- Zapata, Tx -- 503
54. Terry Owens -- Aliceville, Al -- 502
55. Robert Robinson -- Mobile, Al -- 498
56. Gene Robertson -- Kingston, Ok -- 498
57. Jerry Dolezal -- Bullard, Tx -- 494
58. David Wharton -- Sam Rayburn, Tx -- 486
59. James Niggemeyer -- Lindale, Tx -- 479
60. Bud Pruitt -- Spring, Tx -- 477
61. Sean Hoernke -- Magnolia, Tx -- 475
62. Ronnie Hopkins Jr -- Mounds, Ok -- 472
63. Nicholas Albus -- Trinity, Tx -- 471
64. Ernie Paul -- Longview, Tx -- 471
65. Shane Gibson -- Kilgore, Tx -- 471
66. Trent Durst -- Longview, Tx -- 471
67. Jason Pittman -- Ardmore, Ok -- 470
68. Eddy May -- Valley Center, Ks -- 466
69. Eric Ambort -- Mabelvale, Ar -- 465
70. Clark Reehm -- Leesville, La -- 464
71. Rick Byrnes -- Tamaroa, Il -- 463
72. Bert Thompson -- Benton, La -- 462
73. Chris Russell -- Conroe, Tx -- 460
74. James Fredieu -- Saint Martinville, La -- 459
75. Gilbert Coats -- Fort Worth, Tx -- 459
76. Jeremy Guidry -- Opelousas, La -- 457
77. Charles Hammack -- New Caney, Tx -- 454
78. Buz Craft -- Vidalia, La -- 454
79. Glen Freeman -- Converse, La -- 451
80. Mark Martin -- Beaumont, Tx -- 449
81. Bob Weaver -- Lawton, Ok -- 448
82. Art Garza -- Buna, Tx -- 446
83. James Davis Jr -- Ferriday, La -- 446
84. Ronnie Wagner -- Conroe, Tx -- 446
85. Mike Deushane -- East Peoria, Il -- 446
86. David Seaton -- Buchanan, Tn -- 445
87. Leonard Price -- Houston, Tx -- 437
88. David Mullins -- Coppell, Tx -- 437
89. Larry Caldwell -- Saint Peters, Mo -- 435
90. Gary Vining -- Morgan City, La -- 435
91. Jim Nolan -- Bull Shoals, Ar -- 434
92. Rick Carter -- Alba, Tx -- 433
93. Phil Addison -- Baytown, Tx -- 415
94. Chad Griffin -- Cresson, Tx -- 414
95. Teddy Cloide -- Vidor, Tx -- 409
96. Paul Whitman Jr -- Dallas, Tx -- 408
97. Donnie McGaughey -- Katy, Tx -- 400
98. Kent Mcclure -- Malvern, Ar -- 397
99. Robert A. Mcfarlane -- San Antonio, Tx -- 396
100. Dustin Grice -- Brownwood, Tx -- 392
101. James Quillman -- Dallas, Tx -- 387
102. Randy Smith -- Greenwood, La -- 387
103. Alton Wilhoit -- Harrah, Ok -- 381
104. Joe Keene -- Delhi, La -- 370
105. Freddie Grant -- Corsicana, Tx -- 369
106. Paul Eason -- Brookeland, Tx -- 367
107. Barry Smith -- Palo Pinto, Tx -- 363
108. Charles Dubroc -- Hessmer, La -- 362
109. Jack Morse -- Oglesby, Tx -- 357
110. Tommy Durham -- Waxahachie, Tx -- 351
111. Randy Cisler -- Mesquite, Tx -- 347
112. Raul Morineau -- Brookeland, Tx -- 344
113. Heath Hardwick -- Aledo, Tx -- 344
114. Randy Dearman -- Onalaska, Tx -- 343
115. Jim Phillips -- Greenwood, Ms -- 340
116. Kevin Reynolds -- Bentonville, Ar -- 338
117. Ronnie Eschete Jr -- Thibodaux, La -- 335
118. Monte Griffin -- Hot Springs, Ar -- 332
119. David Gregg -- Haslet, Tx -- 331
120. Randall Brown -- Lafayette, La -- 328
121. Bradley Stringer -- Huntington, Tx -- 311
122. Sid Havard -- Simsboro, La -- 309
123. Ricky Campbell -- Waxahachie, Tx -- 301
124. Andy Coffman -- Campbell, Tx -- 300
125. Greg Gleason -- Houma, La -- 295
126. Peter Daniels -- Shreveport, La -- 294
127. Ron Festavan -- Downsville, La -- 294
128. Mike Curry -- Vidor, Tx -- 292
129. Brett Turner -- Eros, La -- 292
130. Randy Moore -- Euless, Tx -- 291
131. Martin Whitaker -- Hensley, Ar -- 289
132. Clinton Mayfield -- Hot Springs, Ar -- 287
133. Paul Johnson -- Pineville, La -- 286
134. Keith Phillips -- Crosby, Tx -- 282
135. John Staley -- Granbury, Tx -- 281
136. Edward Berends -- Osage City, Ks -- 281
137. Jim Guzman -- Coldspring, Tx -- 281
138. Howard Etue -- Evadale, Tx -- 269
139. Marc Schilling -- Richardson, Tx -- 268
140. Bill Ferguson -- Rowlett, Tx -- 265
141. Tim Reed -- Tulsa, Ok -- 264
142. Dennis McDaniel -- Roxie, Ms -- 262
143. Robert Kenyon -- Cordova, Tn -- 258
144. Ken Young -- Saint Louis, Mo -- 251
145. Zack Keathley -- Kerens, Tx -- 250
146. Theron Caldwell -- Fort Worth, Tx -- 249
147. Trey Morgan -- Goldonna, La -- 246
148. Mike Milam -- Hemphill, Tx -- 243
149. Mike Arnold -- Hewitt, Tx -- 240
150. Andy McDaniel -- Roxie, Ms -- 237
151. Gregory Reedy -- Denton, Tx -- 231
152. Danny Johnston -- Windsor, Mo -- 229
153. Jon Lessard -- League City, Tx -- 227
154. Danny Coppin -- Belton, Tx -- 225
155. Bob Davis Jr. -- Zavalla, Tx -- 221
156. Patrick Cascio -- Brookeland, Tx -- 212
157. Pat Grimm -- West, Tx -- 210
158. Jimmy Greer -- Ball, La -- 208
159. Jimmie Kervin -- Crosby, Tx -- 203
160. Jim Criswell -- Del Rio, Tx -- 200
161. James Dillard -- Austin, Tx -- 199
162. Michael Lowery -- Etoile, Tx -- 198
163. Donnie Courtney -- Greenwell Springs, La -- 197
164. Don McFarlin -- Gordonville, Tx -- 196
165. Blaine Leblanc -- Many, La -- 190
166. Stephen Francis -- Brookeland, Tx -- 189
167. David Longrie -- Stoughton, Wi -- 186
168. Charles Haralson -- Laredo, Tx -- 182
169. Joe Gilbert -- Sherman, Tx -- 182
170. Billy Cline -- Grapevine, Tx -- 181
171. Bobby Koncak -- Graford, Tx -- 179
172. Jim Tutt -- Longview, Tx -- 177
173. James Stricklin Jr -- Sam Rayburn, Tx -- 176
174. Charles Bebber -- Willis, Tx -- 170
175. Keith White -- North Richland Hills, Tx -- 170
176. Harley Wilson -- Beckville, Tx -- 166
177. Lamonte Loyd -- Gilmer, Tx -- 166
178. Ryan Lovelace -- Denison, Tx -- 163
179. Wade Ramsey -- Midwest City, Ok -- 159
180. Kent McPhail -- Lubbock, Tx -- 156
181. Wayne Brown -- Ardmore, Ok -- 154
182. Larry Peacher -- Bentley, La -- 153
183. John Hope -- Palestine, Tx -- 152
184. Micheal Rogge -- Yantis, Tx -- 151
185. Michael Michalec -- Willis, Tx -- 151
186. Allen Armour -- Cumming, Ga -- 150
187. Shawn Hagler -- Sugar Land, Tx -- 148
188. Dwayne Busby -- Amarillo, Tx -- 145
189. Ed Klobas -- Arlington, Tx -- 145
190. Dusty Anders -- Pineville, La -- 144
191. Harmon Davis -- Marlow, Ok -- 144
192. Joe Don Setina -- Pittsburg, Tx -- 142
193. Allen Rude -- Wynnewood, Ok -- 138
194. Greg Ingram -- Owasso, Ok -- 136
195. Rusty Hall -- Shelbyville, Tx -- 136
196. Jj Ducharme -- San Antonio, Tx -- 135
197. Ed Dunnaway -- Flowood, Ms -- 134
198. Jeff Richards -- Helotes, Tx -- 131
199. Justin Morton -- Etoile, Tx -- 129
200. Dwayne McPeek -- Mc Kinney, Tx -- 127
201. Bob Coleman -- Washington, Mo -- 125
202. Billy Hurt Jr. -- Spring Creek, Tn -- 124
203. John Guice -- Trophy Club, Tx -- 124
204. Chris Wilkerson -- Montgomery, Tx -- 121
205. Harold Allen -- Shelbyville, Tx -- 117
206. Rod Stringer -- Lamesa, Tx -- 114
207. Jack Carroll -- Lufkin, Tx -- 113
208. David Meeks -- Texarkana, Tx -- 110
209. Andy Gaia -- Tomball, Tx -- 110
210. Randy Allen -- Calhoun, La -- 108
211. Keith Conley -- Ponca City, Ok -- 100
212. Larry Fillmon -- Haskell, Tx -- 93
213. Wesley Burnett -- Hot Springs, Ar -- 93
214. Tommy Howard -- Brookeland, Tx -- 93
215. Jeff Buchanan -- Zavalla, Tx -- 92
216. Hector Delagarza -- Garland, Tx -- 92
217. Claude Rabb -- Vidalia, La -- 91
218. Craig Frilot -- Breaux Bridge, La -- 90
219. Clay Young -- Del Rio, Tx -- 87
220. Audie Prewitt Jr. -- White Hall, Ar -- 85
221. John Nugier -- Many, La -- 83
222. Rayborn Waits -- Austin, Tx -- 82
223. Bobby Thrasher -- Gatesville, Tx -- 81
224. Martin Thompson -- Benton, La -- 79
225. Floyd Drannon -- Stratford, Ok -- 77
226. Dale Witt -- New Braunfels, Tx -- 76
227. Joe Gerard -- Concordia, Ks -- 76
228. Ivy St. Romain -- Morgan City, La -- 68
229. Shaun Compton -- Carthage, Tx -- 67
230. John Gross -- Springfield, Il -- 67
231. Albert Hudson -- Austin, Tx -- 65
232. Greg Yates -- Rowlett, Tx -- 65
233. Bob Kujan Jr. -- Belton, Tx -- 60
234. John Hobson -- Grapeland, Tx -- 52
235. Paul Welch -- Livingston, Tx -- 52
236. Steven Martin Jr. -- Canyon, Tx -- 46
237. Kevin Thompson -- Plano, Tx -- 36
238. Brett Graham -- Sherman, Tx -- 31
239. David Brown -- Lumberton, Tx -- 30
240. Rob Burns -- Plano, Tx -- 30
241. Tom Lester -- Corsicana, Tx -- 27
242. Keith Stephenson -- Jasper, Tx -- 27
243. Dennis Cleary -- Tucson, Az -- 18
244. Raymond Richardson -- Calhoun, La -- 16
245. Bill Speer -- Harlem, Ga -- 12