NATCHITOCHES, La. (May 23, 2005) - Boater Billy Graves of Montgomery and Danny Gulledge, of Crossett, Ark., each earned $2,647 Saturday when they tied for the win in the Bass Fishing League Louisiana Division bass fishing tournament on the Red River. Gulledge won an additional $1,000 for being the highest finishing Ranger Cup participant. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Louisiana Division events.
Both anglers weighed limits of five bass weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces. Gulledge fished Pool 4 and used a Lucky Craft Sammy and a War Eagle spinnerbait to catch his bass from shallow water. Graves used a jig on ledges that had grass in the Caushatta area to catch his limit.
Finishing third was Clyde Anderson of St. Gabriel with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces that earned him $1,154. Ronnie Eschete Jr. of Thibodaux claimed $899 as the fourth-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 13 pounds, 5 ounces. In fifth was Robert Robinson of Mobile, Ala., with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 4 ounces worth $738.
Kevin Lafleur of Opelousas took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $535 for a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a Norman Deep Little N.
Bill Fussell of Thibodaux bested the Co-angler Division competitors to earn $1,732 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught on spinnerbaits and crankbaits around wood cover.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Royd Picard of Broussard (five bass, 9 pounds, 10 ounces, $866); Chris Hults of Gautier, Miss. (five bass, 8 pounds, 14 ounces, $566); Rene Planchard of Baton Rouge (four bass, 8 pounds, 12 ounces, $441); and Jamie Floyd of Prarierville (three bass, 8 pounds, 5 ounces, $362).
Fussell earned $263 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a white spinnerbait.
The Louisiana Division will wrap up its regular season Oct. 1-2 with a two-day Super Tournament on the Atchafalaya Basin near Belle River, La.