CEDAR BLUFF, Ala. (March 24, 2008) - Boater Phillip Dukes of Rainsville, Ala., won the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division bass fishing tournament on Weiss Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces. The victory earned Dukes $4,546 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship in Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 16-18, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"I've been fishing for a long time, and it's a big accomplishment," said Dukes, who has two previous second-place finishes in BFL events on Weiss Lake. "I'm tickled to death to win this one."
Dukes targeted spotted bass with shallow crankbaits early on gravel points, stumps and roadbeds. Once he got a limit, he searched for a bigger largemouth to add to his stringer, but was unable to catch the kicker fish.
"I'd like to thank my dad for carrying me fishing all of these years," Dukes said. "We've always had a big time fishing together. We've fished team trails together and competed against each other a lot, and he finished seventh in this event."
Rounding out the top five boaters are Randall Tharp of Gardendale, Ala. (five bass, 17-3, $2,675); Evan Cooper of Rainsville, Ala. (five bass, 16-6, $1,782); Steve Burchfield of New Hope, Ala. (five bass, 13-11, $1,248) and Jeff Cannon of Douglasville, Ga. (five bass, 13-00, $1,025).
Burchfield took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $850 for a 7-pound, 2-ounce bass he caught on a gold Rat-L-Trap.
Dusty Dowdy of Adairsville, Ga., earned $2,675 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught while fishing a jig in 3 to 8 feet of water.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Danny Moss of Glencoe, Ala. (five bass, 13-13, $1,337); Tony Anderson of Unionville, Tenn. (five bass, 11-9, $891); Scott Curvin of Jacksonville, Ala. (five bass, 9-7, $624) and Barry Holbert of Fairmount, Ga. (five bass, 9-2, $535).
Warren Lindley of Smyrna, Ga., earned $425 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass he caught on a green pumpkin lizard fished on a Carolina rig.
Choo Choo Division anglers will visit Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., April 19 for their third regular-season event. The division's fourth qualifying event will be held on Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden, Ala., June 21. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on Guntersville Lake in Scottsboro, Ala., Sept. 20-21.