KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2006) - Boater Don Demott of Boca Raton, Fla., earned $5,582 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 179 boaters vying for the win, which earned Demott 200 points in the Boater Division.
Demott's winning catch of five bass weighed 20 pounds, 5 ounces. Demott was flipping mats with a Junebug worm and Gambler BB Cricket in Goblets Cove when he caught his winning limit.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jay Morgan of Auburndale, Fla. (five bass, 19 pounds, 11 ounces, $2,791 plus $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award); Eric Lewis of Fruit Cove, Fla. (five bass, 18 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,861); Micah Silverman of Orlando (five bass, 18 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,302) and John Kremer of Sanford, Fla. (five bass, 18 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,116).
Troy Oliver of Lakeland, Fla., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $895 for an 8-pound, 14-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a 10-inch worm rigged with a 1/4-ounce weight.
Donald Strickland of Kissimmee bested 179 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,791 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 9 ounces that he caught on a Thruster Tail Spinner. Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Art Dasilva of Deltona, Fla. (five bass, 10 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,395); Ramon Morales Jr. of Brandon, Fla. (five bass, 10 pounds, 11 ounces, $931); Roy Henry of Vineland, N.J. (five bass, 10 pounds, 6 ounces, $651); and Bruce Pac of High Springs, Fla. (five bass, 10 pounds, 5 ounces, $558).
David Lepsie of Haines City, Fla., earned $447 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 8-ounce bass.
The Gator Division's next event will be held Feb. 18 on the Harris Chain of lakes near Tavares, Fla., followed by an event on the Kissimmee River near Lake Wales, Fla., March 25 and another event on the Kissimmee River May 6. The Gator Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 9-10 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Toho near Kissimmee.