SENECA, S.C. (Feb. 4, 2008) - Boater Tim Rhyne of Inman, S.C., won the Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Keowee Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 2 ounces. The victory earned Rhyne $4,508 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship in Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 16-18, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
'I am overwhelmed with joy,' Rhyne said. 'I have been close to winning a tournament so many times and I finally did it.'
Rhyne caught his bass throwing a Blade Runner on flats and flipping a jig near boat docks. 'I actually found this spot with a good friend of mine last year. I was debating going back because in practice the bite wasn't that good. On Saturday, I ended up going straight to that flat and catching my limit in 55 minutes. I left that area around 2 p.m. and went to some docks to help my co-angler catch a limit and increase the weight I already had.'
Rounding out the top five boaters are Chris Baxter of Winder, Ga. (five bass, 12-04, $2,652); Mark Gibson of Seneca, S.C. (five bass, 11-14, $1,768); Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C. (five bass, 11-13, $1,238) and Rick Steckelberg of Gainesville, Ga. (five bass, 11-12, $1,061).
Rhyne took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $835 for a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass.
Brett Littlefield of Greer, S.C., earned $2,652 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds, 6 ounces that he caught mid-lake in 30 to 40 feet of water on a Blade Runner.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Charles Dickens of Augusta, Ga. (three bass, 10-09, $1,326); Tommy Kimbrell of Eastanollee, Ga. (five bass, 10-06, $887); Chad Silver of Leicester, N.C. (five bass, 9-14, $619) and Cooper Lindsey of Taylors, S.C. (five bass, 9-12, $530).
Dickens earned $417 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass he caught on Fluke.
Savannah River Division anglers will visit Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Ga., March 1 for their second regular-season event, followed by an event on Lake Hartwell in Clemson, S.C., April 5. The division's fourth qualifying event will be held on Lake Hartwell in Elberton, Ga., May 3. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Sept. 6-7.