BRACY, Va. (May 4, 2009) - Jeff Salmon of Chester, Va., won the Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Gaston Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces. The victory earned Salmon $4,938 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Potomac River Regional Championship in Marbury, Md., Oct. 8-10, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Salmon said he caught his bass on a jig near mid-lake rocks and grass.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Scott Mooneyham of Fayetteville, N.C. (four bass, 16-1, $2,469); Chris Baldwin of Lexington, N.C. (five bass, 14-14, $1,646); Sam Westbrook of Hopewell, Va. (five bass, 14-13, $1,152) and Thomas Wilkinson Jr. of Oxford, N.C. (five bass, 13-15, $988).
Brandon Sykes of Kinston, N.C., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $745 for a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass he caught on a Rebel Pop-R.
Brandon McLeod of Spring Lake, N.C., earned $2,419 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 10 pounds, 6 ounces. McLeod said he caught his bass fishing a Carolina rig over grass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Hunter Campbell of Henderson, N.C. (five bass, 10-3, $1,210); Richard Ohlson of Garner, N.C. (five bass, 9-10, $807); Eddie Cook of Clemmons, N.C. (five bass, 9-2, $565); and Pat Kendrick of Columbia, Va. (five bass, 8-15, $484).
Gary McClain earned $365 as the co-angler Big Bass winner with a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass he caught on a Texas-rigged worm on a mid-lake rocky point.
The next Piedmont Division event will be held on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C., June 13.