SPARTA, Tenn. (April 20, 2009) - Adam Wagner of Cookeville, Tenn., won the Bass Fishing League Music City Division bass fishing tournament on Center Hill Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 6 ounces. The victory earned Wagner $3,641 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Appling, Ga., Oct. 15-17, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"I had 2 good days to practice. I thought I could catch them off bed, but I didn't find what I thought I needed to win," said Wagner. "So I went up river a bit and caught them flipping."
Wagner caught his limit throwing a 5/8-ounce watermelon Punisher jig fishing gravel pockets with drift wood. He described the area as fishing "trash pockets."
Rounding out the top five boaters are Tim Phy of Cookeville, Tenn. (5 bass, 16-8, $1,820); John Hopkins of Hendersonville, Tenn. (5 bass, 15-10, $1,214); Anthony Bowman of Crawford, Tenn. (5 bass, 15-6, $789) and Tim Staley of Dowelltown, Tenn. (5 bass, 15-6, $789).
Michael Hood of Winchester, Tenn., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $475 for a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass he caught.
Darren Kelly of Wartburg, Tenn., earned $1,820 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to 5 bass weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Kenny Botts of Bowling Green, Ky. (5 bass, 12-14, $910); Bill Bruce of Hendersonville, Tenn. (5 bass, 11-13, $607); Dick Russell of Chapel Hill, Tenn. (5 bass, 11-4, $425); and Chase Bradford of Dowelltown, Tenn. (4 bass, 10-9, $349).
Darren Kelly earned $237 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass.
The next Music City Division event will be held on Percy Priest Lake in Smyrna, Tenn., June 6.