OKEECHOBEE, Fla. - David Crews of Bartow earned $5,000 Saturday as winner of the third regular-season Bass Fishing League Gator Division bass fishing tournament, held on Lake Okeechobee near Okeechobee. He caught five bass weighing 27 pounds, 8 ounces to claim the win and 200 points in the Boater Division.
Crews fished the south end of the lake and used an 11-inch worm to catch his tournament-winning bass. He earned another $1,000 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 9-pound, 8-ounce bass.
Rounding out the top five boaters are John Wood of Cypress Gardens (five bass, 23 pounds, 4 ounces, $2,500); Joseph Kremer of Osteen (five bass, 22 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,700); Rick Kornmeier Jr. of Margate (five bass, 20 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,300); and Gregory Cuming of Mount Dora (five bass, 19 pounds, $1,100).
Wood earned $500 from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Mark Brader of Loxahatchee claimed $2,500 as winner of the Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught on a Senko and a spinnerbait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Cliff Rayburn of Naples (five bass, 18 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,250); Chuck McKenzie of Lakeland (five bass, 17 pounds, $850); Bruce Greer of Lake Worth (three bass, 14 pounds, 10 ounces, $650); and Ed Bullard of Winter Haven (five bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces, $550).