KODAK, Tenn. (April 14, 2014) – Jeff Knight of Cleveland, Tenn., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 14 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division tournament on Douglas Lake. For his victory, Knight earned $3,592. Knight’s win was his first BFL victory since 2005, and it came on a lake that he hadn’t fished in over 20 years.
“I practiced on Friday and just dropped the trolling motor down and caught about 20 pounds on a jig,” said Knight. “I went right back there on Saturday and they were still there.
“I was just hopping a jig down rock ledges. I was casting into about 2-feet and letting it fall down the ledges. When they’d hit you would definitely know it.”
Knight said he was throwing a kudzu-colored Choo Choo Custom Lures jig. Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Burton Bryan, Sevierville, Tenn., five bass, 15-11, $1,796
3rd: Travis Lilly, Bluff City, Tenn., five bass, 14-10, $1,201
4th: George Carroll, Clinton, Tenn., five bass, 14-7, $838
5th: Charles Ellis, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 14-5, $718
6th: Larry Neal, Piney Flats, Tenn., five bass, 14-0, $659 + $300 Evinrude Bonus
7th: Brian Hazel, Clinton, Tenn., five bass, 13-13, $599
8th: Garry Minnick, Blountville, Tenn., five bass, 13-6, $539
9th: Joe Leonard, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 13-4, $479
10th: Lee Varner, Andersonville, Tenn., five bass, 12-15, $419
Jim Neece of Bristol, Va., weighed in three bass totaling 12 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win $1,796 in the co-angler division. Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Tyler Duckworth, Gray, Tenn., five bass, 11-11, $898
3rd: Shawn Bishop, Johnson City, Tenn., five bass, 10-15, $598
4th: John Swallows, Charleston, Tenn., five bass, 10-12, $419
5th: Jesse Burnett, Norris, Tenn., four bass, 10-11, $329
5th: Justin McGaha, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 10-11, $329
5th: Jonathan Wood, Canton, N.C., five bass, 10-11, $329
8th: Kevin Hughes, Bristol, Va., five bass, 9-1, $269
9th: Gary Carroll, Jonesville, Va., five bass, 9-0, $239
10th: Jason Webb, Rockwood, Tenn., two bass, 8-11, $210
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.