05-09-2007, 07:10 PM
Punta Gorda, FL (May 7, 2007) - Al Keller and Bill Faulkner finally broke through. The former "plain shirt" guys went up against the big names of the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup circuit on their home waters and took the Eastern OPEN in Punta Gorda on Sunday with a final day weight of 12.69 pounds.
In defeating the likes of Bryan and Greg Watts, Mike Friday and Danny Latham, and Craig Johnson and John Ochs, the Evinrude team won in its first top five appearance and will take home more than the $40,000 first prize.
"They're huge names," Keller said. "I've been watching them for five years come up to the winner's stage and just dominate the field. This is big. My first top five and first win all in one tournament."
The team from down the coast in Naples stole the hot seat from the first to weigh-in, Johnson and Ochs, who got a late start after breaking their lower unit the first thing in the morning.
Keller and Faulkner watched anxiously as Friday and Latham, the 2006 Anglers of the Year, induced a roar from the crowd upon holding up their fish. But Friday and Latham, who had the big bag of the event on Day One, just missed supplanting them with a 12.44 total.
Then came the Watts brothers. When asked by emcee Keith Alan if they were nervous, Faulkner put out a trembling hand.
"The deal with the three-day events, it's about consistency," Faulkner said. "The Watts brothers were the ones I was really worried about. Mike Friday's fish dropped way off yesterday. I thought to myself, he probably didn't fish his A spot. He was probably trying to save his fish for today.
"After he caught those big fish, they probably left. I thought to myself there's a good chance they could come in with 13 and a half. And the Watts Brothers, they weighed in almost the exact same weight all three days. When he weighed us at 12.69, I wasn't counting my chickens."
The crowd of hundreds gathered at beautiful but soppy Laishley Park after another afternoon thunderstorm, roared again when the Watts brothers lifted their fish, but when their total of 12.48 was announced, Faulkner realized the magnitude of his team's feat. He embraced his partner after knocking off Redfish's top teams.
"They've been doing it for awhile. They're the best in the business," he said. "It feels good. It feels good. It feels good."
This is the first year for Keller and Faulkner to fish with Evinrude, which allowed them the opportunity to take off two weeks to prepare.
"This year, it's just been no holds barred," Keller said. "I've had good sponsors that allowed me to take off two weeks to do this. And if wasn't for the sponsors I wouldn't have been doing it as hard as we did. Without them, I can't do this. I was a plain shirt guy for five years."
Now in their sponsored shirts, Keller and Faulkner are making a name for themselves and, for at least one tournament, broke through the upper echelon of redfishing greats.
"We've both been professional fisherman for over 10 years," Faulkner said. "I've been fishing tournaments for a long time, but these guys are the ones you are shooting for. When you are sitting home at night rigging rods, you're like, these are the guys you want to beat."
About the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup:
In it's fifth year, the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup is the nation's premier inshore saltwater fishing championship. The 2007 schedule consists of six OPEN events in two divisions, three All-Star events and the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup Championship. It is the proving ground for the nation's top professional redfish anglers. Full tournament coverage can be seen each Sunday at 7 am EST on ESPN2 beginning in April.
Sponsors of the 2007 Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup includes Oh Boy! Oberto Beef Jerky, Mercury Marine, Triton Boats, Lake and Bay Boats, Lowrance Electronics, Falcon Rods, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Lucky Craft, Motorguide, Berkley, Texas Tackle Factory and Finatic Fishing Apparel.
Media Contact<br />
Melanie Jarrett Career Sports & Entertainment (770) 955-1300 mjarrett@careersportsentertainment.com
In defeating the likes of Bryan and Greg Watts, Mike Friday and Danny Latham, and Craig Johnson and John Ochs, the Evinrude team won in its first top five appearance and will take home more than the $40,000 first prize.
"They're huge names," Keller said. "I've been watching them for five years come up to the winner's stage and just dominate the field. This is big. My first top five and first win all in one tournament."
The team from down the coast in Naples stole the hot seat from the first to weigh-in, Johnson and Ochs, who got a late start after breaking their lower unit the first thing in the morning.
Keller and Faulkner watched anxiously as Friday and Latham, the 2006 Anglers of the Year, induced a roar from the crowd upon holding up their fish. But Friday and Latham, who had the big bag of the event on Day One, just missed supplanting them with a 12.44 total.
Then came the Watts brothers. When asked by emcee Keith Alan if they were nervous, Faulkner put out a trembling hand.
"The deal with the three-day events, it's about consistency," Faulkner said. "The Watts brothers were the ones I was really worried about. Mike Friday's fish dropped way off yesterday. I thought to myself, he probably didn't fish his A spot. He was probably trying to save his fish for today.
"After he caught those big fish, they probably left. I thought to myself there's a good chance they could come in with 13 and a half. And the Watts Brothers, they weighed in almost the exact same weight all three days. When he weighed us at 12.69, I wasn't counting my chickens."
The crowd of hundreds gathered at beautiful but soppy Laishley Park after another afternoon thunderstorm, roared again when the Watts brothers lifted their fish, but when their total of 12.48 was announced, Faulkner realized the magnitude of his team's feat. He embraced his partner after knocking off Redfish's top teams.
"They've been doing it for awhile. They're the best in the business," he said. "It feels good. It feels good. It feels good."
This is the first year for Keller and Faulkner to fish with Evinrude, which allowed them the opportunity to take off two weeks to prepare.
"This year, it's just been no holds barred," Keller said. "I've had good sponsors that allowed me to take off two weeks to do this. And if wasn't for the sponsors I wouldn't have been doing it as hard as we did. Without them, I can't do this. I was a plain shirt guy for five years."
Now in their sponsored shirts, Keller and Faulkner are making a name for themselves and, for at least one tournament, broke through the upper echelon of redfishing greats.
"We've both been professional fisherman for over 10 years," Faulkner said. "I've been fishing tournaments for a long time, but these guys are the ones you are shooting for. When you are sitting home at night rigging rods, you're like, these are the guys you want to beat."
About the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup:
In it's fifth year, the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup is the nation's premier inshore saltwater fishing championship. The 2007 schedule consists of six OPEN events in two divisions, three All-Star events and the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup Championship. It is the proving ground for the nation's top professional redfish anglers. Full tournament coverage can be seen each Sunday at 7 am EST on ESPN2 beginning in April.
Sponsors of the 2007 Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup includes Oh Boy! Oberto Beef Jerky, Mercury Marine, Triton Boats, Lake and Bay Boats, Lowrance Electronics, Falcon Rods, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Lucky Craft, Motorguide, Berkley, Texas Tackle Factory and Finatic Fishing Apparel.
Media Contact<br />
Melanie Jarrett Career Sports & Entertainment (770) 955-1300 mjarrett@careersportsentertainment.com