GREENVILLE, Miss. (June 29, 2009) - Brandon Bolton of West Point, Miss., won the Bass Fishing Mississippi Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Ferguson Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 10 ounces. The victory earned Bolton $4,127 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Regional Championship in Gilbertsville, Ky., Oct. 15-17, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Bolton said he was fishing for schooling fish on main points in water 19 feet deep with stumps.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Lloyd Pickett, Jr. of Bartlet, Tenn. (five bass, 18-9, $2,064); Terry Bates of Greenville, Miss. (five bass, 17-5, $1,377); Jim Phillips of Greenwood, Miss. (five bass, 16-10, $963) and Michael Roach of Olive Branch, Miss. (five bass, 15-13, $825).
Preston Morris took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $575 for a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass he caught.
Ryan Strait of Brandon, Miss., earned $2,064 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five- bass weighing 19 pounds, 4 ounces that he caught on a worm and lizard.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Rick McKlemurry of Brandon, Miss. (five bass, 12-0, $1,032); Lance Graves of Raymond, Miss. (four bass, 11-14, $688); Daniel Kennedy of Madison, Miss. (four bass, 11-12, $482); and John Speake of Terry, Miss. (five bass, 11-11, $413).
Jon Butler, Jr. earned $287 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.
The next Mississippi Division event will be the Super Tournament held on the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Brandon, Miss., Sept. 12-13.