SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (April 14, 2014) – Kevin McMahan of Huntsville, Ala., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 28 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division tournament on Lake Guntersville. For his victory, McMahan earned $3,641. The spawn is in full swing in many southern states and McMahan took full advantage of it to notch his first BFL win.
“I couldn’t see them at all because there was so much pollen and color in the water,” said McMahan. “The fish were relating primarily to the red-clay banks with hard bottom and shell beds in large shallow coves. They were mostly in places in the mid-lake area that were warmer than the rest of the lake.
“I figure that I culled out a 24 pound bag. I probably had 15 keepers and some shorts,” said McMahan. “I would catch a 12-inch little male and then pitch back into the same spot and catch a 5- or 6-pounder.
“Every fish I caught came on a ½-ounce Mean Mouth jig. I used a Duckett Fishing Micro Magic rod. It’s an extremely sensitive rod and was the right action for that style of fishing.
“I was the very first person to weigh-in,” finished McMahan, “I had to wait until the very end to figure out if I won or not.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: James Smith, Hampton Cove, Ala., five bass, 28-8, $1,820
3rd: Gary Fleming, Russellville, Ala., five bass, 25-4, $1,214
4th: Pat Kelly Sr., Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 24-14, $850
5th: Jim Leary, Meridianville, Ala., five bass, 22-14, $728
6th: Erwin Cole, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 21-15, $668 + Evinrude Bonus
7th: Chris Webb, Decatur, Ala., five bass, 21-11, $607
8th: Bland Morris, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 21-3, $515
8th: Terry Tucker, Gadsden, Ala., five bass, 21-3, $515
10th: Marshall Deakins, Dunlap, Tenn., five bass, 20-10, $425
John Biffle of Chattanooga, Tenn., weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 27 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win $1,820 in the co-angler division. Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Alan Barrett, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 22-9, $910
3rd: James Boyd, Russellville, Ala., five bass, 22-4, $516
3rd: Thomas White, Iron City, Tenn., five bass, 22-4, $516
5th: Robert Richardson, Calhoun, Ga., five bass, 21-10, $364
6th: Steven Dabbs, Boaz, Ala., five bass, 20-12, $334
7th: Collin Bruce, Florence, Ala., five bass, 19-1, $303
8th: Josh Dees, Mount Olive, Ala., five bass, 18-1, $273
9th: Brennon Binkley, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 16-1, $243
10th: Chris Patterson, Kimberly, Ala., five bass, 15-14, $212
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 2-4 Regional Championship on the St. John’s River in Palatka, Fla. 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.