BRANSON, Mo. (May 16, 2005) - Boater Gary Jones of Kimberling City earned $4,226 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Ozark Division bass fishing tournament on Table Rock Lake. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Ozark Division events and featured 137 boaters vying for the win, which earned Jones 200 points in the Boater Division.
Jones' winning catch of five bass weighed 23 pounds, 2 ounces. Jones threw a jig to postspawn bass in 8-10 inches of water to catch his bass.
In a second-place tie were Greg Bohannan of Rogers, Ark., and Bill Richey of Lampe, both with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 5 ounces worth $1,747. In fourth was Jay Hulsey of Bourbon with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces worth $1,076, and finishing fifth and earning $884 was Lynn Sykes of Centerton, Ark., with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces.
Tom Silber of Labadie took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $685 for a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass.
Jimmy Davis Jr. of Willard, who finished in sixth place with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 6 ounces worth 730, earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Steve Kiniry of Kansas City earned $1,849 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 21 pounds, 14 ounces that he caught on a jig. Kiniry earned an additional $288 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 7-pound, 10-ounce bass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Timothy Vieth of Marthasville (five bass, 15 pounds, 11 ounces, $924); Jared Ballard of Fayetteville, Ark. (four bass, 14 pounds, 10 ounces, $605); Eric Brantley of Springfield (five bass, 13 pounds, 3 ounces, $471); and Rocky Austin of Hartville (five bass, 12 pounds, 14 ounces, $387).
The Ozark Division's next event will be held June 25 on Truman Lake near Clinton. The Ozark Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 10-11 with a two-day Super Tournament on Table Rock Lake near Branson.