BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (April 11, 2016) – Mark Morgan of Somerset, Kentucky, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 1 ounce, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Mountain Division tournament on Dale Hollow Lake. For his victory, Morgan took home $6,830. Morgan said that he spent his day focusing on bass that were congregating in shallow water, near steep banks. He said he ran to multiple sections of the lake and rotated between seven points.
“My boat was in deep water, between 15 and 20 feet, but the bait was shallow,” said Morgan, who notched his third win in FLW competition. “A lot of bass were up very shallow and spawning, but mine were still staging and getting ready to spawn. I spent around 45 minutes in each section and after my first rotation I had my winning weight in the boat.”
Morgan said he used one bait to catch his limit – a green-pumpkin-colored Cumberland Pro Lures jig rigged with a green-pumpkin Strike King Rage Tail Craw.
“The water was very clear so I didn’t want anything with flash,” said Morgan. “The small profile of the lure was crucial for my catch as well.”
Morgan finished by saying he was able to catch approximately 14 keepers throughout the event.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Mark Morgan, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 21-1, $4,830 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Richard Cobb, Berea, Ky., five bass, 19-2, $2,415
3rd: Terry Ledford, Gray, Ky., five bass, 18-8, $1,234
3rd: Tim McDonald, Prestonsburg, Ky., five bass, 18-8, $1,234
3rd: Jason Cooper, Shelbyville, Tenn., five bass, 18-8, $1,234
6th: Todd Beaty, Rickman, Tenn., five bass, 18-7, $885
7th: Brandon Wallen, Monticello, Ky., five bass, 18-2, $805
8th: Charlie Crisp Jr., Catlettsburg, Ky., five bass, 17-13, $724
9th: Josh Gaffney, Crab Orchard, Ky., five bass, 17-11, $644
10th: Adam Militana, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 17-7, $563
Ron Foss of Berea, Kentucky, caught a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $720. Larry Brandenburg of Richmond, Kentucky, weighed in five bass totaling 16 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,415.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Larry Brandenburg, Richmond, Ky., five bass , 16-11, $2,415
2nd: Josh Boone, London, Ky., five bass, 16-8, $1,207
3rd: Tracy Helton, London, Ky., five bass, 15-15, $684
3rd: Brent Clark, Bowling Green, Ky., five bass, 15-15, $684
5th: Doug Adkins, Gray Hawk, Ky., five bass, 15-10, $483
6th: Joshua Jernigan, Rocky Top, Tenn., five bass, 15-0, $443
7th: Steven Brown, Bowling Green, Ky., five bass, 14-14, $402
8th: Brian Copeland, Rickman, Tenn., five bass, 13-11, $362
9th: Timothy Ernst, Mount Eden, Ky., four bass, 13-3, $682
10th: Walter Smith, Hardy, Ky., four bass, 12-7, $282
Ernst caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 1 ounce and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $360.