APPLING, Ga. (Feb. 20, 2006) - Boater Steve Harwood of Weaverville, N.C., earned $5,024 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division bass fishing tournament on Clarks Hill Lake. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Savannah River Division events and featured 155 boaters vying for the win, which earned Harwood 200 points in the Boater Division.
Harwood's winning catch of five bass weighed 16 pounds, 10 ounces. Harwood used two primary patterns to catch his bass. He tossed a black and blue jig around docks and threw a jerkbait to catch schooling bass.
Rounding out the top five boaters are David G. Williams of Maiden, N.C. (five bass, 15 pounds 4 ounces, $2,512); Richard Dickerson of Lincolnton, Ga. (five bass, 14 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,674); Kip Ashmore of Evans, Ga. (five bass, 14 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,172) and Mike Winchester of Bryson City, N.C. (five bass, 14 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,005).
Keith Williamson of Lincolnton, Ga., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $775 for a 9-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Williamson earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Troy Good of Taylors, S.C., bested 155 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,512 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 10 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught throwing a watermelon seed Zoom Mag II worm around pockets and ditches.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Chip Story of Augusta, Ga. (four bass, 9 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,256); Steve Hoffman of Simpsonville, S.C., (four bass, 9 pounds, 5 ounces, $838) Dwayne Fricks of Iva, S.C., (one bass, 8 pounds, 13 ounces, $586) and Chad Silver of Leicester, N.C. (five bass, 8 pounds, 12 ounces, $502).
Fricks' bass earned $387 for the big-bass award in the Co-angler Division. Fricks caught the big bass on a Scorpion spinnerbait.
The Savannah River Division's next event will be held March 25 on Lake Russell near Elberton, Ga., followed by an event on Lake Hartwell near Seneca, S.C., May 20. The fourth event will be held June 24 on Clarks Hill Lake near Appling and the Savannah River Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 16-17 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Keowee near Seneca, S.C.