MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (June 16, 2014) – Jack Faulkner II of Jacksboro, Tenn., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division tournament on Cherokee Lake. For his victory, Faulkner earned $3,718.
“It was a good win,” said Faulkner. “This is the first BFL tournament that I’ve won and it felt really good.
Faulkner said that he fished topwater baits near the main channel and targeted areas in 20 to 25 feet of water with shad to catch his deep bass.
“In the morning I started out fishing topwater baits and I caught one of my better fish,” Faulkner explained. “I ran that pattern until 9 o’clock in the morning then I switched up and fished deep. I probably caught about 20 bass deep, mostly on a Yamamoto Swim Senko and a spoon.”
Faulkner said that he used a Dixie Custom Rods flipping stick to fish his spoon, and that the soft tip helped him keep bass buttoned up. He said that he caught his fish on a green-pumpkin-colored Yamamoto Swim Senko with a belly hook, a Heddon Zara Spook and a Mann’s Mann-O-Lure.
“I’ve fished several BFL’s on Cherokee Lake,” continued Faulkner. “I’ve had chances to win before, but I always seemed to let fish get off. This year I didn’t lose any fish.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Bill Humbard, New Market, Tenn., five bass, 16-0, $1,859
3rd: Shawn Strader, Rockwood, Tenn., five bass, 15-3, $1,238
4th: J.R. Henard, Rogersville, Tenn., five bass, 15-2, $867
5th: Tim Saylor, Johnson City, Tenn., five bass, 14-8, $744
6th: Rich Chriscincke, Seymour, Tenn., five bass, 14-1, $682
7th: Nathan Mountain, White Pine, Tenn., five bass, 14-0, $620
8th: Randy Brown, Mosheim, Tenn., five bass, 13-14, $558
9th: Rex Pendergrass, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 13-8, $496
10th: Jeffrey Mahaffey, Bristol, Tenn., four bass, 13-5, $434
William King of Maryville, Tenn., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 15 pounds, 13 ounces Saturday to win $1,859 in the co-angler division. Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Clint Dyer, Jonesborough, Tenn., five bass, 12-6, $929
3rd: John Coker, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 12-3, $619
4th: Jimmy Flanagan, Kingston, Tenn., five bass, 11-13, $434
5th: Jason Meade, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 11-12, $372
6th: Brandon Harmon, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 11-10, $341
7th: Greg Ray, Bandy, Va., five bass, 11-7, $310
8th: Heath Gore, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 10-14, $279
9th: Sam Overton, Heiskell, Tenn., five bass, 10-9, $248
10th: Sam Loveless, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 10-5, $217
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 9-11 Regional Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.