SUMMERTON, S.C. (May 24, 2004) - Nelson Walker of Manning earned $4,291 Saturday as winner of the third regular-season Bass Fishing League Carolina Division bass fishing tournament on the Santee Cooper lakes near Summerton. He caught five bass weighing 21 pounds to claim the win and 200 points in the Boater Division.
Walker caught his tournament-winning bass on a Bomber crankbait around breaklines in the upper lake. He also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and because his boat is powered by a Yamaha outboard, he also received another $500 from Yamaha. Garmin also awarded him $1,000 for using only Garmin electronics during the event.
Rounding out the top four boaters are Brent Riley of Ridgeville (five bass, 18 pounds, 3 ounces, $2,145); Bernie Davis of Charlotte, N.C. (five bass, 14 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,459); and Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C. (three bass, 12 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,116). Tied for fifth were Norm Attaway of North Augusta (three bass) and Ronnie McCoy of Lamar (four bass). Both anglers caught 12 pounds, 10 ounces worth of bass to earn $858 each.
McCoy earned Boater Division big-bass honors and $815 for a 7-pound, 14-ounce bass he caught on a Zoom Ole Monster Worm.
Curtis Sims of Woolwine, Va., claimed $2,090 as winner of the Co-angler Division with a two-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 11 ounces that he caught on a spinnerbait. He also earned $393 as the big-bass award winner in the Co-angler Division with an 8-pound, 2-ounce bass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Chris Brunson of Sumter (three bass, 8 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,045); James Blackstock of Linwood, N.C. (four bass, 8 pounds, 4 ounces, $710); Chuck Knowles of Columbia (three bass, 6 pounds, 14 ounces, $543); and James Billings of Millers Creek, N.C. (three bass, 6 pounds, 13 ounces, $460).
The Carolina Division's next stop will be June 19 on High Rock Lake in Salisbury, N.C., and the regular season will come to a close Sept. 18-19 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Wylie near York.