BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (June 6, 2005) - Boater Michael Conley of Bainbridge earned $3,596 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Seminole Division bass fishing tournament on Seminole Lake. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Seminole Division events and earned Conley 200 points in the Boater Division.
Conley's winning catch of five bass weighed 19 pounds, 3 ounces. He was fishing plastic worms around hydrilla when he caught his bass.
Conley earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Finishing second was Shane Semmes of Wewahitchka, Fla., with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces that earned him $1,798. Alan Lamb of Donalsonville claimed $1,177 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces. In fourth was Steve Bushmore of Bainbridge with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 3 ounces worth $915, and finishing fifth and earning $752 was Christopher Lane of Winter Haven, Fla., with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces.
Rusty Hatton of Donalsonville took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $545 for a 9-pound, 1-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a Mann's Dragon Lizard.
Robert Dice of Perry, Fla., earned $1,765 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 17 pounds, 14 ounces that he caught on a Zoom Horny Toad.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Mark Thomas of Chipley, Fla. (four bass, 13 pounds, 5 ounces, $882); Kell Boyett of Bainbridge (four bass, 12 pounds, 10 ounces, $577); Barbara-Gayle Black of Jacksonville, Fla. (four bass, 11 pounds, 11 ounces, $449); and Mark Gunter of Gainesville, Fla. (four bass, 10 pounds, 3 ounces, $369).
Thomas earned $268 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 15-ounce bass he caught on a spinnerbait.
The Seminole Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 17-18 with a two-day Super Tournament on the St. John's River near Palatka, Fla.
Following the regular season, the Seminole Division boater with the most points will earn $1,000 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion. The co-angler amassing the most points will earn $500 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion in the Co-angler Division.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. The top 40 Seminole Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Lake Toho Regional near Kissimmee, Fla., Oct. 4-8 where they will compete against Bama, Bulldog and South Carolina Division anglers for one of six slots in the 2006 All-American.