OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (May 2, 2005) - Boater Earl Garrison IV of Bull Shoals, Ark., earned $4,553 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Ozark Division bass fishing tournament on Lake of the Ozarks. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Ozark Division events and featured 152 boaters vying for the win, which earned Garrison 200 points in the Boater Division.
Garrison's winning catch of five bass weighed 18 pounds, 10 ounces. Garrison was fishing a jig in 3-5 feet of water when he caught his bass. He earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Garmin Grand award and another $1,500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award and Powered by Yamaha award.
Finishing second was Rick Lisek of Springfield with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 12 ounces that earned him $2,277. Aaron Martin of Sullivan claimed $1,492 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces. In fourth was Jimmy Davis Jr. of Willard with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 5 ounces worth $1,159, and finishing fifth and earning $952 was James Young of House Springs with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces.
William Martin of Saint Peters took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $760 for a 7-pound, 5-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a Carolina-rigged lizard.
John Luzynski of St. Louis bested 152 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,277 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 12 pounds, 7 ounces that he caught on a Carolina-rigged brush hog.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Lee Anderson of Conway, Ark. (three bass, 10 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,138); Joe Waggoner of Carthage (three bass, 9 pounds, 15 ounces, $746); Timothy R. Vieth of Marthasville (three bass, 9 pounds, 10 ounces, $580); and Jared Ballard of Fayetteville, Ark. (three bass, 9 pounds, 9 ounces, $476).
Chip Harrington of Belton earned $380 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass he caught on a jig.
The Ozark Division's next event will be held May 14 on Table Rock Lake near Branson, followed by an event on Truman Lake near Clinton June 25. The Ozark Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 9-10 with a two-day Super Tournament on Table Rock Lake near Branson.