HENDERSON, N.C. - Boater Phil Bain of Youngsville earned $5,000 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division bass fishing tournament on Kerr Lake. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Piedmont Division events and featured 200 boaters vying for the win, which earned Bain 200 points in the Boater Division.
Bain's winning catch of five bass weighed 18 pounds. He also earned another $1,000 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass.
Finishing second was Flash Butts of Roanoke Rapids with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces that earned him $2,500. Larry Ellis of Bahama claimed $1,700 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces. In fourth was Richard Szczerbala of New Hill with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces worth $1,300, and finishing fifth and earning $1,100 was Robert Walser of Lexington with four bass weighing 12 pounds, 7 ounces.
Butts earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Melvin Jennings of Rustburg, Va., bested 200 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,500 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are James Lowery of Youngsville (four bass, 10 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,250); Doug Sides of Greensboro (four bass, 9 pounds, 1 ounce, $850); Robert Parrish of Albemarle (three bass, 8 pounds, 7 ounces, $650); and Paul Kotula of Raleigh (one bass, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, $550).
Kotula earned $500 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with an 8-pound, 1-ounce bass.
The Piedmont Division's next event will be held May 22 on Lake Gaston near South Hill, Va., followed by another event on Kerr Lake in Henderson June 12. The Piedmont Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 18-19 with a two-day Super Tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson.