GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Feb. 29, 2016) – Byron Kenney of Griffin, Georgia, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bulldog Division tournament on Lake Lanier. For his victory, Kenney took home $4,763. Kenney said he started his day by running south to target bass in ditches that were 8- to 30-feet deep. He said he used a shad-colored Fish Head Spin and was able to get three spotted bass in the boat fairly quickly.
“The fish I caught were mostly from water that I had never been in before,” said Kenney, who earned his third career win in FLW competition. “They just happened to be in the type of structure that I was targeting and it worked out.”
Kenney said he fished the ditches for about an hour, then moved to shallower water and focused on wood and docks using a Citrus Shad-colored Strike King KVD HC Square Bill Silent Crankbait. He said he caught his fourth fish – a 5-pounder – near a lay-down.
“It was so deep in there that I have no idea how I caught it,” said Kenney. “I was very fortunate that I didn’t lose it when I was pulling up.”
The Georgia angler said he then went nearly five hours without a bite before catching his fifth and final keeper at 2:45 p.m. on a custom jig near some rock.
“After the day I had, I didn’t think I would have enough weight to win,” said Kenney. “I was quite surprised when I ended up on top. I guess it was meant to be.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Byron Kenney, Griffin, Ga., five bass, 16-7, $4,763
2nd: Brad Stalnaker, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 15-9, $2,381
3rd: Karey Dickerson, Dahlonega, Ga., five bass, 14-3, $1,585
4th: John Christopher, Watkinsville, Ga., five bass, 13-6, $1,111
5th: Phil Sanders, Hoschton, Ga., five bass, 13-5, $953
6th: William Rogers, Hiram, Ga., five bass, 12-12, $873
7th: Todd Goade, Suwanee, Ga., four bass, 12-9, $1,094
8th: Josh Maddox, Gainesville, Ga., five bass, 12-6, $674
8th: Pat Wallace, Lizella, Ga., five bass, 12-6, $674
10th: Tony Couch, Buckhead, Ga., five bass, 12-4, $505
10th: Rodger Beaver, Dawson, Ga., five bass, 12-4, $505
10th: Brad Wiley, Alto, Ga., five bass, 12-4, $505
Phil Johnson of Cumming, Georgia, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $710. Ronald Harris of Jefferson, Georgia, weighed in five bass totaling 15 pounds, 13 ounces Saturday to earn $2,381 and win the co-angler division.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Ronald Harris, Jefferson, Ga., five bass, 15-13, $2,381
2nd: Wayne Hancock, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 12-6, $1,191
3rd: Noah Rega, Douglasville, Ga., four bass, 11-15, $1,146
4th: Scott Edwards, Jefferson, Ga., five bass, 10-14, $556
5th: Isaac Clemmons, Fitzgerald, Ga., five bass, 10-7, $476
6th: Harold Grizzle, Gainesville, Ga., five bass, 9-15, $437
7th: Emory Walden, Newnan, Ga., three bass, 9-2, $397
8th: Michael Wilder, Macon, Ga., four bass, 9-1, $357
9th: Tony Dimauro, Watkinsville, Ga., four bass, 8-9, $318
10th: Daniel Buswell Jr., Fayetteville, Ga., five bass, 8-8, $278
Rega caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $355.