SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (May 9, 2005) - Boater William Ledbetter of Grant earned $4,999 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Bama Division bass fishing tournament on Guntersville Lake. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Bama Division events and featured 173 boaters vying for the win, which earned Ledbetter 200 points in the Boater Division.
Ledbetter's winning catch of five bass weighed 21 pounds, 14 ounces. He was fishing a spinnerbait and a watermelon lizard over grass in 2-10 feet of water when he caught his bass.
Ledbetter earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Garmin Grand award.
Finishing second was Tim Buckner of Scottsboro with five bass weighing 21 pounds, 6 ounces that earned him $2,500. Chris McCollum of New Hope claimed $1,635 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 21 pounds, 3 ounces. In fourth was Terry Mann of Cullman with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 13 ounces worth $1,273, and finishing fifth and earning $1,045 was Jim Pitts of Hollywood with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 12 ounces.
Pitts took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $865 for a 7-pound, 9-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a crankbait.
Buckner earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Ted Fuehner of Independence, Ky., bested 173 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,500 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 21 pounds, 13 ounces that he caught on a spinnerbait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Chris Walters of Chattanooga, Tenn. (five bass, 18 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,250); Stanley Morris of Boaz (five bass, 18 pounds, 1 ounce, $818); Jett Loach of Ringgold, Ga. (five bass, 17 pounds, 2 ounces, $636); and John Hawkins of Henagar (five bass, 14 pounds, 12 ounces, $523).
Evan Cooper of Rainsville earned $433 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with an 8-pound, 5-ounce bass he caught on a spinnerbait. The Bama Division's next event will be held June 4 on Neely Henry Lake near Gadsden. The Bama Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 17-18 with a two-day Super Tournament on Guntersville Lake near Sept. 17-18.