(04/16/2002 - Hemphill, TX)... The Texas State Bass Tournament first took place in 1955 on Lake Whitney in central Texas when a young Outdoors Editor for the Waco Tribune-Herald, Earl Golding, invited a number of well-known bass anglers to a competition to settle the argument about who was the best in the state. The first outing was so well received that the tournament was opened to all state residents the following year and dubbed with its current name. Now in it’s 47th year, the Texas State Bass Tournament is the acknowledged forerunner of competitive bass fishing.There have never been 
any monetary prizes for the winners. Just trophies for the various competitive Divisions and, of course, the bragging rights for those both lucky and good enough to be named "State Champion".
Annually the Tournament is held in one of the state’s top fresh water fisheries. This year, the tournament returned for the 23rd time to Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Texas-Louisiana border. Though most stringers were well under the tournament limit, a few anglers either developed a solid pattern or found the right cluster of brush and brought in large stringers of fish. Most were located in the shallow brush, but many came from the edge of the grass. Most were caught with soft plastics.
The 2002 State Champion in the Individual Division was Dr. William B. Shelton Jr. (Lufkin) who came from 4th place on Saturday to narrowly edge Bill Sims (Southlake). Leonard Watson (Ft. Worth) and Wendell Bond (Burleson) took top honors in the Team Division by holding off the late surge of Gary Baldwin (Longview) and Mike McBurney (Jupiter, FL).
Gary and Jacki Barcroft (Emory) lead the Couples Division from end-to-end while Jim Saxton (Houston) and Joe Harris (Huntington) made it "three-in-a-row" by successfully defending their 2000 and 2001 Senior Team Division titles. Gary Turner with son Kyle (Tyler) won the Adult/Boy Division, and Mark Eberlan with daughter Katelyn (Lufkin) took the Adult/Girl Division. Jim W. O’Brien (Riesel) captured the Big Bass Award with a nice 7.45 pounder while Kyle Turner (Tyler) won the Boy’s Big Bass Award with a 4.51 pounder and Britteny Zickefoose (Hardin) took the Girl’s Big Bass award with a 2.15 pounder. The General Motors Bass Club of Arlington easily took Top Bass Club honors.
During closing ceremonies, five new members were inducted into the Texas State Bass Tournament Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame recognizes those whose competitive spirit and support has contributed significantly to the success and longevity of the Tournament. They were Jacki Barcroft (Emory), Bill Boyd (Colleyville), Al Fowler (Livingston/Deceased), Ronnie Poe (Ft. Worth), and Jim Saxton (Houston).
The 2002 Tournament Sponsors were East Texas Boat World of Longview, Nitro Boat Company, Remington Fishing Products, Stren Fishing Line, Strike King Lures, and Waypoint Marine of San Antonio.
The complete results, by Division, follow:
