CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2006) - Boater Gary Niemi of Lake Placid, Fla., earned $4,235 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Everglades Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Okeechobee. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Everglades Division events and earned Niemi 200 points in the Boater Division.
Niemi's winning catch of five bass weighed 32 pounds, a testament to the continued big-fish productivity of the Big O. Niemi was flipping a Gambler Ugly Otter with a 1/2-ounce weight to get his bites.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Don Demott of Boca Raton, Fla. (five bass, 29 pounds, 14 ounces, $2,118); Brian Prowant of Moore Haven, Fla. (five bass, 22 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,413); John Pemberton Jr. of Loxahatchee, Fla. (five bass, 22 pounds, 9 ounces, $988) and Jim Hurlock Jr. of Lake Worth, Fla. (five bass, 22 pounds, 8 ounces, $847).
Hurlock took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $590 for an 8-pound, 12-ounce bass he caught on a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver. Pemberton earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. David Veale of Clewiston, Fla., earned $2,118 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 17 pounds, 4 ounces that he caught while fishing a Yamamoto Senko around isolated cover.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Tony Devoss of Okeechobee, Fla. (five bass, 15 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,059); Michael Cass of Lake Worth, Fla., (five bass, 13 pounds, 15 ounces, $706) Jim Lanza of Boca Raton, Fla., (five bass, 13 pounds, 10 ounces, $494) and Greg Caldwell of Okeechobee (five bass, 12 pounds, 13 ounces, $424).
Linda Paul of Cape Coral, Fla., earned $295 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with an 8-pound, 2-ounce bass she caught on a plastic jerk bait.
All Everglades Division events are held on Lake Okeechobee. The final three events will launch from Okee-Tantie ramp in Okeechobee March 18, April 22, and a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 30-31.