THOMSON, Ga. (May 8, 2004) - Boater Division competitor Franklin Ramey III of Abbeville, S.C., earned $3,746 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division bass fishing tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Thomson. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Savannah River Division events. The regular season will wrap up Sept. 25-26 with a two-day Super Tournament that will also be held on Clarks Hill Lake in Thomson.
Ramey bested 133 Boater Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces - a margin of victory of more than 5 pounds. He also earned a $1,000 bonus from Bombardier for using an Evinrude Direct Injection outboard.
Finishing second was Trad Whaley of Due West, S.C., with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces, worth $1,873. Tied for third were Mike Bouknight of Greenwood, S.C., and Clay Batson of Eatonton. Both anglers caught five bass weighing 15 pounds, 6 ounces that earned each of them $1,124. In fifth was Brian Latimer of Belton, S.C., with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces worth $824.
Batson earned $665 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 15-ounce bass. Bouknight earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Bo Price of Seneca, S.C., won the 133-competitor Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 5 ounces. He earned $1,873 for the win.
Finishing second was Tim McGairty of Athens with five bass weighing 9 pounds, 14 ounces worth $937, and in third was Alan Thomerson of Creedmoor, N.C., with five bass that weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce worth $637. Tied for fourth were Benny Rigney of Piedmont, S.C., and Dennis Medlin of Anderson, S.C. Both anglers caught five-bass limits that weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces to earn $449 each.
Jordan Carter of Hartwell caught a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass to win Co-angler Division big-bass honors and $333.