LANETTE, Ala. (April 25, 2005) - Sixteen-year-old Boater Micah Frazier of Newnan, Ga., earned $4,368 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Dixie Division bass fishing tournament on West Point Lake. Frazier is the youngest boater ever to win a tournament in BFL history. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Dixie Division events and featured 143 boaters vying for the win, which earned Frazier 200 points in the Boater Division.
Frazier's winning catch of five bass weighed 20 pounds, 9 ounces. Frazier said he caught one limit early that morning on a spinnerbait, and then culled all but one of them for larger fish he later caught on a Carolina rig.
Frazier earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Finishing second was Hoyt Ivie of Thomaston, Ga., with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces that earned him $2,184. Kevin Benefield of Fayetteville, Ga., claimed $1,427 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds. In fourth was Tim Norris of Alexandria with four bass weighing 13 pounds, 10 ounces worth $1,112, and finishing fifth and earning $913 was Roger Sorrell of Lanett with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 5 ounces.
Sorrell took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $715 for a 6-pound, 15-ounce bass.
Dennis Hudson of Fortson, Ga., bested 143 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,184 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces that he caught on a Carolina rig.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Hal Murk of Sharpsburg, Ga. with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces worth $1,092. Robert Hayes of Elmore, John Knight of Shelby and Brian Roszell of Anniston all tied for third place. Each co-angler caught five bass weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces worth $576.
Murk earned $358 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass.
The Dixie Division's next event will be held June 4 on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula. The Dixie Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 24-25 with a two-day Super Tournament on Logan Martin Lake near Pell City.