BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (March 23, 2015) – Robby Johnson of Byrdstown, Tennessee, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 22 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Mountain Division tournament on Dale Hollow Lake. For his victory, Johnson earned $5,689.
“I was proud to win it,” said Johnson. “It’s nice to see those long days of practice pay off.”
Johnson said that he targeted the main-lake grass near the Wolf River and found fish lurking in the 10-12 foot depths with an umbrella rig with white pearl-colored Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper swimbaits.
“I would slow down my reeling and let the umbrella rig get deep,” Johnson said. “It didn’t take long before they found it.”
Johnson said that he caught 12 keepers throughout the day, with the majority coming from the grass. As the sun came out, Johnson said that the fish would get closer to the surface.
“The sun heated the water temperature by four degrees, which really helped the fish become active,” said Johnson.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Robby Johnson, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 22-7, $5,689
2nd: Rusty Smith, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 19-12, $2,844
3rd: Adam Militana, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 19-10, $1,898
4th: Chris Hurd, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 19-6, $1,327
5th: William Campbell, Middlesboro, Ky., five bass, 18-10, $1,090
5th: Jonathan Green, East Bernstadt, Ky., five bass, 18-10, $1,090
7th: Jason Bean, Scottsville, Ky., five bass, 18-0, $948
8th: Michael Kennedy, Monroe, Tenn., five bass, 17-4. $853
9th: Ethan McDonald, Livingston, Tenn., five bass, 16-15, $711
9th: Ricky Roy, Russell Springs, Ky., four bass, 16-15, $711
Johnson also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $920. Greg Trobaugh of Rickman, Tennessee, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 6 ounces Saturday to win $2,844 in the co-angler division. The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Greg Trobaugh, Rickman, Tenn., five bass, 17-6, $2,844
2nd: Tim Kempf, Louisville, Ky., five bass, 15-13, $1,422
3rd: Bill Haunert, Blue Ash, Ohio, five bass, 15-9, $948
4th: Ryan Fisk, Independence, Ky., five bass, 15-6, $664
5th: Kevin Allen, Louisville, Ky., five bass, 15-5, $569
6th: James Worley, Whitley City, Ky., five bass, 14-13, $521
7th: Tracy Helton, London, Ky., four bass, 14-3, $474
8th: Glen Ruth, Frankfort, Ky., five bass, 14-0, $427
9th: Paul Corning, Evansville, Ind., four bass, 13-11, $379
10th: Greg Brown, Georgetown, Ky., four bass, 13-9, $332
Corning caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $153.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.