BEDFORD, Va. (April 4, 2005) - Boater Mike Hoskings of Dumfries earned $4,476 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division bass fishing tournament on Smith Mountain Lake. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Shenandoah Division events and featured 148 boaters vying for the win, which earned Hoskings 200 points in the Boater Division.
Hoskings' winning catch of five bass weighed 18 pounds. Hoskings was fishing a Carolina rig on primary and secondary points when he caught his bass. He earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Finishing second was Rick Tilley of Moneta with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 6 ounces that earned him $2,238. Tommy Little of Chester claimed $1,467 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 17 pounds, 4 ounces. Tying for fourth was Robert Grike of Woodbridge and Ed Robtison of Roanoke, each with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces worth $1,037.
Larry Lusk of Virginia Beach took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $740 for a 7-pound, 7-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a Carolina rig.
James Chandler of Mclean bested 148 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,238 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 1 ounce that he caught on a spinnerbait.
James Plumb of St. Leonard, Md., and Carl Hunter of Snellville, Ga., tied for second place in the Co-angler Division. Each co-angler caught five bass weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces worth $924. Finishing in fourth was Keith Ruley of Lexington (five bass, 12 pounds, 10 ounces, $570); and Mitchell Staples of Colonial Beach finished in fifth (four bass, 11 pounds, 4 ounces, $468).
Brian Hite of Glade Hill earned $370 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a bleeding shad.
The Shenandoah Division's next event will be held May 21 on the Potomac River near Dumfries, followed by an event on Lake Gaston near Bracy June 25. The fourth-qualifying event will be held on the James River near Richmond July 30. The Shenandoah Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 10-11 with a two-day Super Tournament on the Potomac River near Dumfries.