GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (April 13, 2015) – Joe White of Princeton, Kentucky, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 23 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League LBL Division tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. For his victory, White earned $5,014.
“I’m really excited,” said White. “Nobody thought I could win a tournament by fishing strictly on Barkley Lake this time of year, but I proved them wrong.”
In order to catch his winning stringer, White slow rolled a spinnerbait along mid-lake points. He said he focused on areas primarily in the Dryden Bay and Prizer Point regions. White said he netted a 6-pounder early on to give his day a jumpstart.
“It was my third or fourth cast,” White said. “I used a chartreuse white-colored Stan Sloan’s Zorro spinnerbait and she hit it. It was my biggest fish and a great way to start the day.
“From there I caught them up shallow in about 3 to 4 feet of water,” White continued. “After an hour and a half the sun came out and they moved into 12 foot depths.”
The Kentucky angler said he caught around 11 keepers, but only culled twice.
“I couldn’t be happier with how the tournament played out,” White said. “I’ve earned bragging rights for a while.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Joe White, Princeton, Ky., five bass, 23-15, $5,014
2nd: Arby Tevault, Elberfeld, Ind., five bass, 21-12, $2,507
3rd: Daniel Langton, Haubstadt, Ind., five bass, 20-9, $1,670
4th: Marshall Thompson, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 20-4, $1,170
5th: Dan Morehead, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 20-3, $1,003
6th: Larry Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 20-2, $919
7th: Drew Lynch, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 19-7, $836
8th: Edward Gettys, Columbia, Tenn., five bass, 19-4, $752
9th: Harry Barber, Earlington, Ky., five bass, 19-3, $668
10th: Ron Smith, Walton, Ky., five bass, 18-15, $585
Lynch caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $765. Gabe Montgomery of Jackson, Missouri, weighed in four bass totaling 16 pounds, 14 ounces Saturday to win $2,474 in the co-angler division. The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Gabe Montgomery, Jackson, Mo., four bass, 16-14, $2,474
2nd: John Lovin, Fayetteville, Ohio, five bass, 16-3, $1,237
3rd: Ray Arning Jr., Walnut Hill, Ill., five bass, 15-8, $824
4th: Frank Spacil, Palos Heights, Ill., five bass, 15-1, $577
5th: Ronnie Brown Jr., South Fulton, Tenn., four bass, 14-9, $495
6th: Chris Conner, Crestwood, Mo., five bass, 12-13, $454
7th: Louis Scornavacco, Palatine, Ill., four bass, 12-9, $412
8th: Johnathan Grimes, Hodgenville, Ky., five bass, 12-8, $371
9th: Dennis Taylor, Fulton, Ky., four bass, 12-2, $330
10th: Brian Futch, Vienna, Ill., five bass, 12-0, $289
Michael Shelton of Springfield, Kentucky, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $377.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 Regional Championship on Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden, Alabama. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.