MONTICELLO, Ky. - The 2004 Bass Fishing League Mountain Division tournament season kicked off Saturday on Lake Cumberland near Monticello, and Jonathan Pelfrey of Rockwood, Tenn., claimed the win thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 12 ounces. He bested 198 Boater Division competitors to earn $4,986 and 200 points.
Pelfrey caught his tournament-winning bass flipping a jig. The tournament was his first career BFL event.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Craig Delk of Stanford (four bass, 15 pounds, 14 ounces, $2,493); John Devere of Berea (five bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,695); Mark Denney of Eubank (four bass, 11 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,296); and Rex Pendergrass of Bristol, Tenn. (five bass, 11 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,097).
Mitchell Atkinson of Betsy Layne claimed Boater Division big-bass honors and $990 thanks to a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass that he caught on a black and blue jig. Devere earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Denny Cole of Rockwood, Tenn., earned $2,493 as the Co-angler Division winner thanks to a three-bass catch that weighed 11 pounds, 9 ounces. He edged past 198 Co-angler Division competitors thanks to a crankbait he fished around rocky points.
Rounding out the top four co-anglers are Michael Johnson of Bristol, Va. (four bass, 11 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,247); Thomas Hartley of Elizabethton, Tenn. (four bass, 10 pounds, 3 ounces, $848); and Wayne Leffew of Clinton, Tenn. (four bass, 9 pounds, 13 ounces, $648). Tied for fifth were Darryl Mayton of Rockwood, Tenn., and Brad Roberts of Nancy. Both men caught three bass weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces earned each of them $498.
Kelly Barrett of Richmond earned $495 as the Co-angler Division big-bass winner with a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass that was caught casting a jig to the bank.
The Mountain Division's next stop will be April 24 on Dale Hollow Lake. Each BFL division features four one-day events followed by a two-day Super Tournament to round out the regular season. The top 30 Mountain Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Wheeler Lake regional near Rogersville, Ala., Oct. 19-23, where they will compete against Bulldog, LBL and Shenandoah division anglers for a slot in the 2005 All-American.