KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Oct. 10, 2005) - Boater Jim Murray Jr. of Arabi, Ga., earned a fully rigged Ranger 519VX and a new Chevy truck Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Regional bass fishing tournament on Lake Toho. The top 40 boaters and the top 40 co-anglers from the Bama, Bulldog, Seminole and South Carolina divisions competed in the three-day event.
Murray's winning three-day catch of 15 bass weighed 46 pounds. In addition to the new truck and boat, Murray earned a ticket to the 2006 Bass Fishing League All-American, where the winning boater will earn up to $140,000 and the winning co-angler will earn up to $70,000.
Having qualified through the Bulldog Division, Murray found his bass piled up along grass points in south Kissimmee Lake. The bass were staging in 4 to 5 feet of water and hit best on topwater offerings. "I threw Zoom Horny Toads 90 percent of the day, everyday," Murray said. "During the other 10 percent of the time, I flipped a Zoom Ultra-vibe Craw to catch them.
"I only pre-fished during the designated two days," Murray continued. "I just caught two bass, but they pretty well told me what I needed to be doing during the tournament. After that, I just put my trolling motor down and fished."
The top six boaters and the top six co-anglers fishing the event also earned a berth into the All-American. Rounding out the top six boaters were Gary Simpson of Gainesville (15 bass, 44 pounds, 15 ounces, $6,000); Jason McKinnie of Umatilla (13 bass, 38 pounds, 7 ounces, $3,000); Allan Cagle of Deltona (15 bass, 38 pounds, 1 ounce, $2,500); Kip Carter of Oxford, Ga. (13 bass, 36 pounds, 11 ounces, $2,000); and Chad Dorland of Ocala (11 bass, 31 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,800).
McKinnie earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Ashley Newell of Fitzgerald, Ga., earned a new Ranger boat as the co-angler winner, thanks to a three-day total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 14 ounces. Similar to Murray's winning pattern, Newell also threw Zoom Horny Toads to catch most of his bass, though he did switch to a green-pumpkin Texas-rigged Zoom Ultra-Vibe Craw to flip and pitch into the grass on the last day to catch two more bass, including a 5-pounder.
Rounding out the top six co-anglers were Kevin Botdorf of Albany, Ga. (nine bass, 21 pounds, 12 ounces, $3,000); Michael Wright of Covington, Ga. (12 bass, 20 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,500); Roger Smart of Woodville, Ala. (12 bass, 20 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,250); Tracy Wallace of Lithia Springs, Ga. (10 bass, 19 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,000); and Joel Naramore of Parrish, Ala. (10 bass, 17 pounds, 5 ounces, $900).