SUMMERTON, S.C. (Feb. 27, 2006) - Boater Bryan Cook of Summerville, S.C., earned $5,154 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League South Carolina Division bass fishing tournament on the Santee Cooper lakes. The tournament was the first of five regular-season South Carolina Division events and featured 159 boaters vying for the win, which earned Cook 200 points in the Boater Division.
Cook's winning catch of five bass weighed 26 pounds, 15 ounces. Cook was throwing a Rat-L-Trap in 6 to 8 feet of water when he caught his bass. He earned an additional $1,000 for the Bombardier Bonus award.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jerry Fowler of Walterboro, S.C. (five bass, 19 pounds, 11 ounces, $2,577); Maurice Freeze of Concord, N.C. (five bass, 19 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,719); Chuck Howard of Elloree, S.C. (five bass, 17 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,203) and Joseph Kastner of Prosperity, S.C. (five bass, 17 pounds $1,031).
Howard won an additional $750 as winner of the Ranger Cup and Powered by Yamaha awards.
Andy Owens of Camden, S.C., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $795 for an 8-pound, 4-ounce bass.
Ryan Small of Lexington, S.C., earned $2,545 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 10 pounds, 4 ounces that he caught throwing a green pumpkin Zoom Brush Hog in the lower lake in 6 to 8 feet of water.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Eddie Cook of Clemmons, N.C. (two bass, 9 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,272); James Nunn of Statesville, N.C. (two bass, 8 pounds, 12 ounces, $849) and tying for fourth place were Terry Carteret of Green Sea, S.C., and Tom Turner of Concord, N.C. Both anglers caught two bass weighing 8 pounds worth $551.
Gary Cunningham of Columbia, S.C., earned $392 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass.
The South Carolina Division's next event will be held March 18 on Lake Murray near Prosperity, S.C., followed by an event on Lake Hartwell near Clemson, S.C., April 8. The fourth event will be held May 13 on Lake Wateree near Camden, S.C., and the South Carolina Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 30-31 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Wylie near Lake Wylie, S.C.