ROGERSVILLE, Ala. (May 2, 2005) - Boater William Davis of Russellville earned $2,751 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division bass fishing tournament on Wheeler Lake. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Choo Choo Division events and earned Davis 200 points in the Boater Division.
Davis's winning catch of five bass weighed 18 pounds, 8 ounces. He was flipping around bushes with a black and blue jig when he caught his bass. He earned an additional $1,000 for the Garmin Grand award and another $1,500 for the Ranger Cup award and Powered by Yamaha award.
Finishing second was Shannon Devere of Berea, Ky., with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 11 ounces that earned him $1,376. Josh Wofford of Ooltewah, Tenn., claimed $903 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces. In fourth was Gary Thacker of Athens with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 14 ounces worth $700, and finishing fifth and earning $575 was Jeff Knight of Cleveland, Tenn., with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 9 ounces.
Rick West of Birchwood, Tenn., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $375 for a 6-pound, 11-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a white buzzbait.
Jessie Hall of Sweetwater, Tenn., earned $1,244 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces that he caught on a black buzzbait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Roger Hicks of Rocky Face, Ga. (five bass, 10 pounds, 5 ounces, $622); Dennis Sandoval of Decatur (five bass, 10 pounds, 4 ounces, $406); Jack Brown of Ooltewah, Tenn. (five bass, 10 pounds, $317); and Jay B. Moody of Muscle Shoals (four bass, 9 pounds, 9 ounces, $260).
Phil Pitts of Ringold, Ga., earned $158 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass he caught on a jig.
The Choo Choo Division's next event will be held May 21 on Lake Weiss near Cedar Bluff. The Choo Choo Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 10-11 with a two-day Super Tournament on Watts Barr Lake near Rockwood, Tenn.