MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (Sept. 21, 2009) - Kevin Powers of Unicoi, Tenn., won the Bass Fishing League final Mountain Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Cherokee Sunday with a two-day 10-bass catch weighing 30 pounds, 9 ounces. The victory earned Powers $5,270.
Anglers were competing to qualify for the Lake Norman Regional Championship in Lake Norman, N.C., Oct. 22-24, where they could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"I didn't get many bites this weekend, but I made the ones I did get count," said Powers. "I only had five keeper bites on Saturday and six on Sunday. All my fish came in one foot or less of water using buzz bait, a spook and a jig."
According to Powers Saturday's bright and sunny conditions helped keep the fish shallow and the rain on Sunday sent the fish roaming making it a little tougher to catch the bass. He did indicate that he got his "big" fish off a deep dock.
Rounding out the top five boaters are John Devere of Berea, Ky. (9 bass, 24-15, $2,635); Jake Morris of Mc Kee, Ky. (8 bass, 22-14, $1,758); Brandon Card of Caryville, Tenn. (10 bass, 22-13, $1,230); and Jeff Carman of Liberty, Ky. (10 bass, 21-15, $1,054).
Powers also took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $675 for a 6-pound, 15-ounce bass he caught on a Spook.
Lester Bullens of Berea, Ky., earned $2,441 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to 7- bass weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces that he caught on a Sinko-DD22.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Parker Ealey of Sparta, Tenn. (7 bass, 9-7, $1,220); Brandon Moberly of Berea, Ky. (5 bass, 9-6, $814); Josh Goan of Bulls Gap, Tenn. (6 bass, 9-6, $570); and Jeremy Benningfield of Elizabethtown, Ky. (4 bass, 8-15, $488).
Scottie Cook of Hustonville, Ky. and Steve Prewitt of Perryville, Ky. each earned $150 as they tied for the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 6-ounce bass each.