SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (March 7, 2005) - Boater Edward Gettys of Stevenson earned $5,500 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Bama Division bass fishing tournament on Guntersville Lake. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Bama Division events and featured 200 boaters vying for the win, which earned Gettys 200 points in the Boater Division.
Getty's winning catch of five bass weighed 27 pounds, 11 ounces. Finishing second was Johnny Belyeu of Gadsen with five bass weighing 24 pounds, 10 ounces that earned him $2,750. Eric Hill of Russellville claimed $1,800 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces. In fourth was David Gray of Section with five bass weighing 21 pounds, 3 ounces worth $1,400, and finishing fifth and earning $1,150 was Edward Ricklefs of Jasper, Tenn., with five bass weighing 20 pounds.
Belyeu won an additional $500 as the Ranger Cup award winner. Timothy Little of Acworth, Ga., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $1,000 for an 8-pound bass.
Kyle McKinney of Rockmart, Ga., bested 200 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,750 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 17 pounds, 8 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Damon Taylor of Ringgold, Ga. (five bass, 15 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,375); Eddie Parker of Cleveland, Tenn. (four bass, 14 pounds, 8 ounces, $900); Justin Pruett of Cullman (3 bass, 13 pounds, 7 ounces, $700); and Roy L. Holmes of Rome, Ga. (five bass, 12 pounds, 9 ounces, $575).
Eric Stewart of Calhoun, Ga., earned $500 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with an 8-pound, 1-ounce bass.
The Bama Division's next event will be held April 9 on Weiss Lake near Cedar Bluff, followed by another event on Guntersville Lake near Scottsboro May 7. The fourth qualifying event will be held June 4 on Neely Henry Lake near Gadsen. The Bama Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 17-18 with a two-day Super Tournament on Guntersville Lake near Scottsboro.