WEWAHITCHKA, Fla. (April 25, 2005) - Boater Ira Forehand of Wewahitchka earned $3,216 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Seminole Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Apalachicola. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Seminole Division events and earned Forehand 200 points in the Boater Division.
Forehand's winning catch of five bass weighed 13 pounds, 9 ounces. Forehand was fishing crankbaits and topwater lures in shallow water when he caught his bass.
Finishing second was Casey Gonzalez of Tampa with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces that earned him $1,608. Ron Klys of Gainesville and Chuck Corbin of Chipley tied for third place. Each angler caught five bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces worth $935. In fifth was John Kremer of Sanford with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces worth $672.
Johnathan Glover of Ocala took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $465 for a 6-pound, 14-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a crankbait.
Gonzalez earned an additional $750 as winner of the Ranger Cup and Powered by Yamaha awards.
Keith Childree of Valdosta, Ga., earned $1,608 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces that he caught on a plastic worm.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Andy Jaap of Tallahassee (five bass, 9 pounds, 11 ounces, $804); Cedric Reese of Tallahassee (five bass, 8 pounds, 2 ounces, $526); Kenneth Henry of Thomasville, Ga. (three bass, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, $409); and Douglas Wilemon of Citra (five bass, 6 pounds, 12 ounces, $336).
Chuck Hyer of Clermont earned $233 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass he caught on a Gator buzz frog.
The Seminole Division's next event will be held June 4 on Lake Seminole near Bainbridge, Ga. The Seminole Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 17-18 with a two-day Super Tournament on the St. John's River near Palatka.