SALISBURY, N.C. (June 12, 2006) - Boater Rodney Bell of Salisbury, N.C., earned $4,279 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division bass fishing tournament on High Rock Lake. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season North Carolina Division events and earned Bell 200 points in the Boater Division.
Bell's winning catch of five bass weighed 19 pounds, 10 ounces. He was flipping a jig around the sunny sides of boat docks to catch his bass.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Steve Sink of Winston-Salem, N.C. (five bass, 18 pounds, 3 ounces, $2,140); Phil Maness of Salisbury, N.C. (five bass, 17 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,426); Terry James of Wadesboro, N.C. (five bass, 16 pounds, 10 ounces, $998) and Larry Pearson of Cramerton, N.C. (five bass, 16 pounds, 2 ounces, $856).
Pearson and Roger Pope of Statesville, N.C., tied for Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning them $302.50 apiece for a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass. Pearson caught his big bass on a Chatterbait while Pope threw a spinnerbait to catch his bass.
Maness also took home an additional $500 for being the highest placing Ranger Cup participant.
Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, N.C., won the Co-angler Division and earned $2,140 thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 13 ounces that he caught on a 4-inch tube.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Hubert Roman of Lexington, N.C. (three bass, 10 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,070); Junior Self of Vale, N.C. (four bass, 10 pounds, 2 ounces, $712); Tony Stafford of Kernersville, N.C. (three bass, 9 pounds, 13 ounces, $499); and Eric Rothrock of High Point, N.C. (three bass, 8 pounds, $428).
David Perron of Bluefield, Va., earned $302 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass he caught on a Senko.
The North Carolina Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 9-10 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Hickory near Hickory, N.C.