KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 21, 2005) - Boater Jason Perkins of Crystal Springs earned $4,386 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Gator Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Toho. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Gator Division events and featured 145 boaters vying for the win, which earned Perkins 200 points in the Boater Division.
Perkins' winning catch of five bass weighed 19 pounds, 9 ounces. Perkins was casting and pitching to bull rushes using a Zoom junebug worm.
Finishing second was Ronald Smith of Land O' Lakes with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 9 ounces that earned him $2,193. David Givens of Hernando claimed $1,438 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces. Givens won an additional $500 as the Ranger Cup Award recipient. In fourth was Chip Harrison of Bremen, Ind., with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 10 ounces worth $1,116, and finishing fifth and earning $917 was Troy Olivier of Lakeland with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces.
Lloyd Griffin of Titusville took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $725 for an 8-pound, 11-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a Zoom worm.
Brad McCullough of Ocala bested 145 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,193 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught on a Gambler junebug worm.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Kenneth Bivins of Orlando (five bass, 12 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,096); Frank Mitchum of Orlando (four bass, 11 pounds, 13 ounces, $715); Clyde Allbaugh of Satsuma (two bass, 11 pounds, 3 ounces, $558); and Kimmie Ownby of Lakeland (five bass, 11 pounds, 2 ounces, $459).
Kelly Watterson of Clermont earned $363 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with an 8-pound, 5-ounce bass he caught on a Zoom junebug Mag 2.
The Gator Division's next event will be held on Kissimmee Lake near Lake Wales March 19, followed by an event on the Harris Chain of lakes near Tavares April 9. The Gator Division's fourth event will be held on Kissimmee Lake near Lake Wales April 23 and it will wrap up its regular season Sept. 24-25 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Toho near Kissimmee.