BUCKHEAD, Ga. (June 17, 2013) – Mark Holloway of Madison, Ga., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 6 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division tournament on Lake Oconee. For his victory, Holloway earned $3,917.
“It was an uneventful day until the end,” said Holloway. “I just kept throwing my topwater Bass Hound prop bait to bream beds all day long. I knew that if I tried anything else I would have gotten more bites, but I was fishing for the big bite, so I kept targeting bream beds in the backs of spawning pockets.
“The Bass Hound prop bait imitates the bream better than anything else I have used. I really believe that it was my presentation and bait that gave me the win.
“My biggest fish was about 5 pounds, and then I just had good solid fish to fill out my limit. I caught fish all day long, but had what I brought to the scale by about 9 a.m. The bite was definitely more aggressive first thing in the morning.”
According to Holloway, he was targeting the backs of spawning pockets in about 2 feet of water or less.
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Pat Fisher, Colbert, Ga., five bass, 16-04, $1,958
3rd: Lamontie Waters, Warner Robins, Ga., five bass, 15-5, $1,307
4th: Scott Hayes, Newnan, Ga., five bass, 15-3, $914
5th: Greg Glouse, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 14-9, $783
6th: David Lowery, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 14-0, $718
7th: Justin Lanier, Macon, Ga., four bass, 14-05, $653
8th: Kip Carter, Loganville, Ga., five bass, 14-4, $588
9th: Matt Henry, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 13-14, $522
10th: Jack Morris, Watkinsville, Ga. five bass, 13-13, $457
James Murphy of Phenix City, Ala., weighed five bass totaling 17 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win the co-angler division. Murphy earned $1,958 for his victory. Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Garrett Stevens, McDonough, Ga., three bass, 11-1, $979
3rd: Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., four bass, 10-0, $555
3rd: Keith Howard, Perry, Ga., five bass, 10-0, $555
5th: Jason Jenkins, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 8-11, $392
6th: Bruce Bennett, Poulan, Ga., four bass, 8-10, $359
7th: Jeff Grubbs, Newnan, Ga., four bass, 8-9, $326
8th: David Bush, Eastman, Ga., four bass, 8-07, $294
9th: Kyle Parks, Albany, Ga., two bass, 8-04, $261
10th: John Hammock, Fayetteville, Ga., five bass, 8-3, $228
The next BFL Bulldog Division tournament is scheduled for Sept. 14-15 on West Point Lake in Lanett, Ala. After the last divisional tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell in Lavonia, Ga. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.