SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. (May 19, 2008) - Boater Richard Cobb of Richmond, Ky., won the Bass Fishing League Mountain Division bass fishing tournament on Barren River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces. The victory earned Cobb $3,607 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Wheeler Lake Regional Championship in Decatur, Ala., Oct. 9-11, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"I started out boat No. 111 out of 114," said Cobb, who posted his second top-10 finish of the year. "And I was the slowest boat in the entire field. I have a 17-foot boat with a 90-horse engine on it. The other three boats passed me up, so I was the last boat."
Cobb didn't let that affect his game plan, however. Cobb said he had found fish in a post-spawn pattern during practice, and he repeated his practice routine. Cobb said he used both a jig and a spinnerbait to fill his limit.
"I'm a younger guy, and I always looked up to the guys that won the tournaments," Cobb said. "It doesn't feel like it's real. I didn't think I was on anything worthwhile to even consider winning."
Rounding out the top five boaters are Pat Eichmann of Nancy, Ky. (five bass, 15-10, $1,767); Scottie McQueary of Russell Springs, Ky. (five bass, 15-10, $1,767); Kyle Sears of London, Ky. (five bass, 15-08, $990); Rex Huff of Corbin, Ky., (five bass, 15-05, $813) and Jeff Sandusky of Mount Vernon, Ky. (five bass, 15-05, $813).
Brian Wade of Stanford, Ky., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $600 for a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass he caught on a creature bait.
Wesley Brooks of Bowling Green, Ky., earned $2,000 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces that he caught fishing a buzzbait over grass on the main lake.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Robert Hood of Somerset, Ky. (four bass, 10-14, $1,000); Talmadge Marcum of McKee, Ky. (five bass, 10-05, $666); Marty Mize of Somerset, Ky. (five bass, 10-01, $467) and Noah Griffith of Berea, Ky. (four bass, 9-08, $400).
Brooks earned $270 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass he caught on a buzzbait.
Mountain Division anglers will visit Barren River in Scottsville, Ky., Sept. 13-14 for a two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event.