LEESBURG, Fla. (March 3, 2003) - Fred Chivington Jr. of Welaka claimed $4,986 as the winner of the Bass Fishing League Gator Division's second regular-season stop, held Saturday on the Harris Chain near Leesburg. Chivington led the field of 198 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 14 ounces.
Chivington caught his bass Saturday pitching a worm to cattails. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Chivington also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats, and he earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Tommy Hatfield of Kissimmee (five bass, 17 pounds, 7 ounces, $2,493); Chuck Faremouth of Royal Palm Beach (five bass, 17 pounds, $1,695); David Eng of Okeechobee (five bass, 16 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,296); and Robert Bostdorf of Apopka (five bass, 16 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,097).
Alexander Biron of Lantana topped 198 Co-angler Division competitors with a four-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught flipping pads with Gambler baits. Biron earned $2,493 for the win.
Finishing second on the co-angler side was Edwin Kimbrough of Sebastian (five bass, 12 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,247). Tied for third were Mark Gunter of Gainesville (four bass, 10 pounds, 10 ounces, $748) and James Folks of Melbourne (five bass, 10 pounds, 10 ounces, $748). Rounding out the top five co-anglers was James Trudel of Lighthouse Point (five bass, 9 pounds, 8 ounces, $548).
Both Eng and Bostdorf caught an 8-pound, 7-ounce bass to tie for boater big-bass honors. They both earned $495 for the catch. Rodney Marks of Apopka caught a 9-pound, 3-ounce bass to claim co-angler big-bass honors and $495. He finished seventh thanks to the one bass.
The Gator Division will make its third regular-season stop March 15 on Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston followed by another event there April 5. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Oct. 4-5 on Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee. Following the regular season, the boater with the most points will be declared the Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler with the most points following the regular season will earn $500.