GADSDEN, Ala. (June 23, 2008) - Boater Robert Boyd of Russellville, Ala., won the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division bass fishing tournament on Neely Henry Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces. The victory earned Boyd $3,983 plus a $702 Ranger contingency bonus 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.
Boyd caught his fish on a Norman DD22 crankbait fishing only five minutes from the takeoff site- Coosa Landing.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Mike Ary of Dalton, Ga. (five bass, 16-00, $2,343); Corey Bradley of Chattanooga, Tenn. (five bass, 14-11, $1,562); Gary Motes of Haleyville, Ala. (five bass, 13-13, $1,093); Marty Brown of Dalton, Ga. (five bass, 13-12, $898) and Kenny Pannell of Springville, Ala. (five bass, 13-12, $898).
Ary took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $690 for a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass he caught fishing a ledge on a shaky head. Clinton Cody Jr. of Charleston, Tenn., earned $2,305 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 18 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught on a jig and worm by Choo Choo Lures.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jeff Ford of Trion, Ga. (five bass, 12-12, $1,152); Johnny Sanson of Winchester, Tenn. (five bass, 12-07, $768); Cliff Broadrick of Tullahoma, Tenn. (five bass, 12-05, $538) and Thomas Helton of Charleston, Tenn. (five bass, 11-09, $461).
Ford earned $335 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass he caught fishing docks on a green Zoom trick worm.
A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro Ala, Sept. 20-21.