THOMSON, Ga. (Sept. 29, 2003) - Tony Christian of Hull caught seven bass weighing 21 pounds, 15 ounces to win $5,934 at the Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division Super Bass Fishing Tournament, on Clarks Hill Lake near Thomson. Christian bested 93 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Savannah River Division event of the regular season.
Christian caught five bass Saturday weighing 12 pounds, 7 ounces and caught another two weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces Sunday to win the event. He claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder during the event.
Rounding out the top five boaters are David Vaughn of Hartwell (10 bass, 18 pounds, 6 ounces); Mike Holland of Waynesville, N.C. (10 bass, 17 pounds, 12 ounces); Joseph Stanfield of Claxton (10 bass, 17 pounds, 3 ounces); and Ronnie Webb of Dewy Rose (seven bass, 16 pounds, 12 ounces).
David Saxon of Westminster, S.C., earned $930 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner thanks to a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Scott Guyot of Charlotte, N.C., led 85 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $2,773 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught four bass Saturday weighing 9 pounds, 6 ounces and followed that up Sunday with three bass weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces to earn the win with a two-day total of seven bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Lanier Mason of Danielsville (nine bass, 13 pounds, 14 ounces); Phil Parten of Carnesville (nine bass, 13 pounds, 12 ounces); Richard Mitchell of Martinez (nine bass, 13 pounds); and Dwayne Fricks of Iva, S.C. (nine bass, 12 pounds, 10 ounces).
Guyot took co-angler big-bass honors and $425 with a 4-pound bass.
James Crider of Anderson, S.C., is the Savannah River Division's Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1,028 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Keith Thomasson of Abbeville, S.C., is the Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 985 points.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Savannah River Division 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, Mississippi and Music City divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.