GADSDEN, Ala. (June 28, 2004) - Boater Division competitor Danny Buckner of Woodville earned $4,898 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Neely Henry in Gadsden. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Choo Choo Division events. The regular season will wrap up Oct. 2-3 with a two-day Super Tournament on Guntersville Lake in Guntersville.
Buckner bested 193 Boater Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 22 pounds, 7 ounces - a 6-pound, 10-ounce margin of victory. For the win, Buckner received a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he earned another $1,000 from Bombardier because his boat is powered by an Evinrude Direct Injection outboard. Garmin also awarded him $1,000 for using only Garmin electronics during the event.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Randy Smith of Henagar (five bass, 15 pounds, 13 ounces, $2,449); Adam Brown of Attalla (five bass, 15 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,665); Jason Whisonant of Hayden (five bass, 15 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,273); and Kenny Pannell of Springville (five bass, 14 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,078).
Terry Tucker of Gadsden earned $965 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Tilghman Turner of Grant won the 190-competitor Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 1 ounce. This is his first season to fish the BFL, and he earned $2,411 for the win.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Anthony Ingle of Trion, Ga. (five bass, 12 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,205); Wesley Helton of Cleveland, Tenn. (five bass, 12 pounds, 2 ounces, $820); Jeffery Beegle of Anniston (five bass, 11 pounds, 10 ounces, $627); and Danny Moss of Glencoe (five bass, 11 pounds, 5 ounces, $530).
Michael Hester of Ohatchee caught a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass to win Co-angler Division big-bass honors and $475.
Following the regular season, the top 30 Choo Choo Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Kentucky Lake regional near Gilbertsville, Ky., Oct. 12-16. They will compete against qualifying anglers from the Great Lakes, Hoosier and Michigan divisions for one of six slots in the 2005 All-American.
The winning boater at the All-American will take home $100,000 cash, and the winning co-angler will earn $50,000 cash.