HENDERSON, N.C. (Aug. 25, 2014) – Brandon Gray of Bullock, N.C., weighed a two-day total of nine bass totaling 24 pounds, 14 ounces Sunday to win the Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division super tournament on Kerr Lake. For his victory, Gray earned $4,465.
“I live on the lake and I hadn’t fished a BFL since 2012,” said Gray. “I just decided to get in it because summertime is usually my time on Kerr Lake.
“A few weeks ago the fishing was getting good out deep, but the water came up and that scattered the fish out a lot,” said Gray. “I fished out deep on Saturday. I caught 20 bass at the first place I went to, but I only caught four keepers. I thought I could catch one more keeper out deep but it never happened.
“Sunday, I gambled and decided to fish up the lake around some boat docks,” said Gray, who weighed the biggest bag of the tournament – 15 pounds, 7 ounces – that day. “It turns out those fish had moved, but I was able to find them right up on the bank holding tight to any piece of cover they could get around.”
Gray said he caught his fish on a flutter spoon on Saturday, fishing an area with schooling fish around bait. He said he used a Berkley Havoc Pit Boss to catch his limit on Sunday.
“I thought I had about 12 pounds in the livewell while I was coming in on Saturday. I didn’t realize I would be in the running to win,” finished Gray. “I’ve got to congratulate my competitors too. There are a lot of good anglers fishing the Piedmont Division.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Dennis Gilbert, Nathalie, Va., 10 bass, 22-12, $2,233
3rd: Paul Reich, Winston-Salem, N.C., nine bass, 21-8, $1,488
4th: Mark Inman, Greensboro, N.C., nine bass, 21-6, $1,042
5th: Chris Baldwin, Lexington, N.C., nine bass, 18-12, $893
6th: Lucas Farrington, High Point, N.C., eight bass, 17-15, $819
7th: Robert Walser, Lexington, N.C., eight bass, 17-13, $744 + $300 Evinrude Bonus
8th: Rob Digh, Denver, N.C., seven bass, 16-7, $670
9th: Greg Lahr, Fayetteville, N.C., seven bass, 16-2, $595
10th: Ray Griffin, Henderson, N.C., six bass, 16-0, $521
Brian Nappier of Huntersville, N.C., weighed in a two-day total of six bass totaling 16 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win $2,233 in the co-angler division. Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Will White, Wake Forest, N.C., six bass, 12-10, $1,116
3rd: David Bullock, Durham, N.C., six bass, 12-2, $744
4th: Chuck Wilson, Youngsville, N.C., four bass, 8-9, $521
5th: Joe Westmoreland, Greensboro, N.C., four bass, 8-6, $447
6th: Thomas Clifton, Rolesville, N.C., three bass, 8-5, $409
7th: David Stone, Midlothian, Va., three bass, 7-9, $372
8th: Mark Davis, Bear Creek, N.C., three bass, 7-1, $335
9th: Eric Lochner, Fayetteville, N.C., four bass, 6-14, $298
10th: Junior Roberts, Ringgold, Va., four bass, 6-14, $260
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 2-4 Regional Championship on the James River in Richmond, Va. 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.