RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (June 20, 2005) - Boater Mark Fletcher of Russellville earned $3,347 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Dardanelle. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Arkie Division events and earned Fletcher 200 points in the Boater Division.
Fletcher's winning catch of five bass weighed 14 pounds, 13 ounces. Fletcher fished a Texas-rigged worm around brush piles to catch his bass.
Fletcher earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. In a second-place tie were Doyle Cain of Royal and Clinton Mayfield of Hot Springs, each with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces worth $1,384. In fourth was Brandon Rhoden of Grapevine with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces worth $852, and finishing fifth and earning $700 was Daniel Kweekul of North Little Rock with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces.
Mike Jolly of Blytheville took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $500 for a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a tube.
Russell Richmond of Benton earned $1,674 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 9 pounds, 15 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Bryan Johnson of Pocahontas (two bass, 8 pounds, 15 ounces, $837); Robert Bogard Jr. of Conway (three bass, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, $547); Billy Littleton of Batesville (two bass, 7 pounds, 8 ounces, $426); and Bill Hutton of Springdale (three bass, 7 pounds, 5 ounces, $350).
Johnson earned $250 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 15-ounce bass he caught on a crankbait.
The Arkie Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 24-25 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs.