BUCKHEAD, Ga. (May 17, 2004) - Butch Tucker of Moultrie earned $4,378 Saturday as winner of the third regular-season Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Oconee near Buckhead. He caught five bass weighing 12 pounds, 2 ounces to claim the win and 200 points in the Boater Division.
Tucker caught his bass midlake on watermelon and gold Carolina-rigged worms, primarily Zoom Trick Worms and Zoom Finesse Worms. He earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and because his boat is powered by a Yamaha outboard, he earned another $500 from Yamaha. He also earned $1,000 from Garmin for using only Garmin electronics during the event.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jeremy York of Loganville (five bass, 10 pounds, 1 ounce, $2,189); Scott Hayes of Newnan (three bass, 9 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,489); Greg Barwick of East Dublin (five bass, 9 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,138); and Danny Hall of Ellijay (five bass, 8 pounds, 9 ounces, $963).
Paul Anthony of Dawson earned $840 as the Boater Division big-bass winner thanks to a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass he caught on a Shad Rap.
Ronald Burdekin of Fayetteville claimed $2,185 as winner of the Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces that he caught on 5-inch green pumpkin Zoom lizard.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Hank Geylin of Columbus (three bass, 8 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,092); Vincent Martin of Woodstock (two bass, 8 pounds, 10 ounces, $743); Richard Martin of Marietta (four bass, 7 pounds, 11 ounces, $568); and Mark Winfield of Montgomery, Ala. (three bass, 7 pounds, 8 ounces, $481).
Vincent Martin took co-angler big-bass honors and $415 with a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass he caught on a chartreuse and white spinnerbait.
The Bulldog Division's next stop will be June 26 on West Point Lake in Lanett, Ala., and the regular season will come to a close Oct. 2-3 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala.