BRANDON, Miss. (Feb. 17, 2003) - David Hammarstrom of Brandon topped more than 130 Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Ross Barnett Reservoir with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces. The catch earned him $3,961 and 200 points in the Boater Division.
Hammarstrom caught his limit on a black buzzbait in shallow water. The catch topped second-place boater Jason Davis of Jackson by 3 pounds, 8 ounces. Davis finished the one-day tournament with a three-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces worth $1,980. Hammarstrom received a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program and another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.
Joel Barber of Brandon (three bass, 14 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,347); Kenny Churchill of Jackson (four bass, 13 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,030); and Matt Ferguson of Pontotoc (five bass, 12 pounds, 12 ounces, $871) rounded out the top five boaters.
Jimmy Mize of Brandon earned boater big-bass honors and $725 with a 7-pound bass that he caught on a Brush Hog in chartreuse and pumpkin colors. He finished in 13th place overall with two bass weighing 8 pounds, 13 ounces.
Russell Hathcock of Bartlett, Tenn., claimed first place and $1,926 in the 130-plus-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 8 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler Stephen Hudson of Purvis by 5 pounds, 1 ounce thanks to a spinner bait and a Brush Hog that he was throwing to lily pads. Hudson finished with a one-bass catch weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces worth $963.
Wesley Wheat of Meridian (two bass, 6 pounds, 6 ounces, $655); John Saszoski of Jackson (two bass, 5 pounds, 11 ounces, $501); and James Galbreath of Cordova, Tenn. (two bass, 5 pounds, 6 ounces, $424) rounded out the top five co-anglers.
Hudson earned big-bass honors and $353 in his division with a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass.
The BFL will visit Pickwick Lake March 22 for the second of five Mississippi Division events. The boater with the most points after the division's season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 6-7 on Ross Barnett, will be declared the "Be the Best" Points Leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.
The top 30 Mississippi Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 7-11 on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula, Ala., where they will go up against top competitors from the Louisiana, Music City and Savannah River divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American .