FLORENCE, Ala. - The 2004 Bass Fishing League Mississippi Division season kicked off Saturday on Pickwick Lake near Florence, and Johnny Clark of Senatobia, Miss., claimed the win thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces. He bested 168 Boater Division competitors to earn $4,378 and 200 points.
Clark caught his tournament-winning bass on a crankbait. Clark is a highly successful Mississippi Division angler, scoring six top-10 finishes, including the win, since 1997. He has also finished in the top 10 at the Chevy Trucks Wild Card twice for a career total of eight BFL top-10s.
Finishing second was Jason Hannah of Forest, Miss., with four bass weighing 12 pounds, 14 ounces worth $2,189. In third was Yancy Windham of Gordo with five bass that weighed 11 pounds, 7 ounces that earned him $1,489. Newton Ford of Lena, Miss., claimed fourth place with three bass weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces worth $1,138. Tied for fifth were Shan Schoenrock of Carrollton (five bass) and Mike Hoover of Jackson, Tenn. (four bass). Both men caught 10 pounds, 7 ounces worth of bass that earned them $875.
Hannah claimed Boater Division big-bass honors and $840 thanks to a 7-pound, 9-ounce bass that he caught on a Rat-L-Trap. Ford earned $500 as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he earned another $250 from Yamaha because his boat was powered by a Yamaha outboard.
Michael Marlin of Southaven, Miss., earned $2,132 as the Co-angler Division winner thanks to a five-bass catch that weighed 10 pounds, 9 ounces. He edged past 162 Co-angler Division competitors thanks to a Bandit crankbait that he was running over shallow water. Marlin took the crown in his first career BFL event.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Terry Ezzell of Russellville (four bass, 10 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,066); Fred Murray of Olive Branch, Miss. (two bass, 7 pounds, 13 ounces, $725); Tootie Joiner of Carthage, Miss. (three bass, 6 pounds, 7 ounces, $554); and Jeremy Holderfield of Memphis, Tenn. (one bass, 6 pounds, 1 ounce, $469).
Holderfield earned $405 as the Co-angler Division big-bass winner thanks to the 6-pound, 1-ounce bass.