Excerpt from FLW Outdoors article: Smith busts 18 pounds, wins Kentucky Lake co-angler title
by Jennifer Simmons - 05.May.2007

Smith busts 18 pounds, wins Kentucky Lake co-angler title - BENTON, Ky. – Stephen Smith led the Co-angler Division of the Stren Series Central Division event on Kentucky Lake the first two days of competition before stumbling a bit on day three and dropping to second. He picked the ball back up in a big way today, hauling in 18 pounds to win the tournament with a four-day total of 56 pounds, 2 ounces.

Smith’s 18-pound limit was by far the heaviest co-angler stringer of the day and was the third-heaviest weight overall on day four, bested only by a couple of pros who topped 20 pounds, including his day-four partner, Curt McGuire, who ended up second on the pro side. For the win, Smith earned $5,000 cash plus a brand-new Ranger boat. 
“I’ve caught more fish here than I’ve ever caught in my entire life,” Smith said. “It’s a top-notch lake.”

Indeed it is. Smith said he didn’t have a bass at 10:30 this morning, but then McGuire pulled up onto a spot and voila, both of them had a limit within minutes.

“That guy’s done his homework,” he said of McGuire. Interestingly, this is McGuire’s third co-angler partner in three years on Kentucky Lake who has gone on to win the event. Clearly, he brings good luck to the back of the boat.

“Until today, every fish I weighed I caught on a green-pumpkin Brush Hog, Texas-rigged,” Smith said. “I caught them off beds and points, and yesterday we fished in the marina, and that was my tough day.”

Smith caught 10 pounds, 2 ounces on day three, a day that proved to be tough for most. He briefly relinquished the lead to Chuck Loerzel, who ultimately finished second.

“Today I caught every one of them on a Fat Free Shad, in a citrus color,” Smith said. “We had a blast. Curt is one of the finest guys out there. He busted them big. It was awesome.”

Smith is an angler who fishes every level of FLW Outdoors competition, from the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. He has certainly had success along the way, but this is his first major victory.