CLANTON, Ala. (April 14, 2008) - Boater Coby Carden of Calera, Ala., won the Bass Fishing League Bama Division bass fishing tournament on Lay Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces. The victory earned Carden $2,537 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Murray Regional Championship in Columbia, S.C., Oct. 23-25, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Chris Patterson of Gardendale, Ala. (five bass, 13-14, $1,493); Blake Parker of Harpersville, Ala. (five bass, 13-6, $994); Ted Caldwell of Alexander City, Ala. (five bass, 13-5, $647) and Scott Canterbury of Odenville, Ala. (five bass, 13-5, $647).
Carden took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $350 for a 6-pound, 14-ounce bass he caught.
Freddy Rutkowski of Empire, Ala., earned $1,493 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught on a shaky-head rig fished around wood on humps.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jeff Ford of Trion, Ga. (five bass, 13-00, $746); Talmadge Crawford of Birmingham, Ala. (five bass, 11-10, $497); Wayne Naramore of Lincoln, Ala. (five bass, 10-15, $323) and Caleb Scott of Sylacauga, Ala. (five bass, 10-15, $323).
Paul Kennemur of Trussville, Ala., earned $175 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 7-ounce bass.
Bama Division anglers will visit Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden, Ala., May 10 for their third regular-season event. The division's fourth qualifying event will be held on Logan Martin Lake in Pell City, Ala., June 14. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Sept. 27-28.