MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (Oct. 3, 2005) - Boater Bill Humbard of New Market earned $5,716 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Mountain Division Super Bass Fishing Tournament on Lake Cherokee. The tournament earned Humbard 300 points in the Boater Division.
Humbard's winning catch of nine bass weighed 28 pounds, 11 ounces. He threw a jig and pig on the lower end of the lake around rock piles to catch his bass.
Rounding out the top five pros are Jason Nichols of Knoxville (nine bass, 26 pounds, 2 ounces, $2,790); Tee Watkins of East Point, Ky. (nine bass, 25 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,361); Bryant Ailor of Knoxville (10 bass, 24 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,225); and Ott Defoe of Dandridge (eight bass, 20 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,089).
George Lewis of Livingston, Ky., earned $1,060 as the big-bass award winner in the Boater Division with a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Vernon Sowers of Richmond, Ky., earned $2,741 as the co-angler winner, thanks to 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 14 ounces that he caught on a jig and pig.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jonathan Worley of Irvine, Ky. (seven bass, 15 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,338); Keith Farmer of New Market (five bass, 13 pounds, 15 ounces, $653); Richard Snowden of Berea, Ky. (five bass, 13 pounds, 5 ounces, $587); and Jim Blackerby of Lexington, Ky. (four bass, 13 pounds, 2 ounces, $522).
Brian Singleton of Stanford, Ky., earned $500 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass.
Following the regular season, the Mountain Division boater with the most points will earn $1,000 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion. The co-angler amassing the most points will earn $500 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion in the Co-angler Division.
The top 40 Mountain Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Kerr Lake Regional near Henderson, N.C., Oct. 18-22 where they will compete against Empire, Northeast and Music City division anglers for one of six slots in the 2006 All-American.