FLIPPIN, ARK. - Ranger Pro Dave Lefebre
shocked fellow competitors and spectators alike by completing an unprecedented,
come-from-behind victory in the FLW Tour event on Lewis Smith Lake. Facing an
eight-plus-pound deficit, his final day's total of five bass weighing 19 pounds,
5 ounces was enough to propel him to the sixth Tour-level victory of his career
and a $125,000 payday.
After moving from 23rd to seventh
place during the tournament's first three days, Lefebre
trailed tournament leader Zack Birge by more than eight pounds at the start of
the tournament's final day. Focusing on blueback
herring spawning areas in the backs of creeks, Lefebre
used waking winnow lures to target the fishery's population of heavy, hungry largemouths, including a pair of fish that comprised more
than half of his Day 4 weight that were caught on the same cast.
"I wasn't even thinking about
winning the tournament, I just wanted to move up a few spots and cash a nice
check," Lefebre said, after he notched his first
FLW Tour win since 2012. "Today was one of the biggest surprises of my
career."
Lefebre brought five-fish limits to the
weigh-in stand each of the tournament's four days, finishing with 65 pounds, 5
ounces and hold off second-place finisher and fellow Ranger Pro Clark Wendlandt, who finished with 63 pounds, 7 ounces. With the
win, Lefebre earned the $100,000 first-place prize
from FLW Outdoors as well as the $25,000 Ranger Cup bonus. Lefebre's
big finish at Lewis Smith Lake also keeps him in contention to qualify for his
12th Forrest Wood Cup.
"This feels good," Lefebre said. "Last year was a nightmare season for
me, so this is sweet redemption."
In total, five anglers who finished
in the Top-10 at Lewis Smith Lake were members of the Ranger Pro Staff.
"This is an incredible
come-from-behind win and testament to Dave's character and competitiveness
- two of the things that make him such a great ambassador for the Ranger
brand " said Ranger Boats Vice President of Marketing Bart Schad. "What a tremendous finish to an already
exciting event by Dave and we congratulate him and the rest of our Ranger Pros
for their successes during the tournament."
The Wal-Mart FLW Tour resumes April 23-26 on Arkansas's Beaver Lake for the
third stop on the 2015 schedule.