JASPER, Texas (March 2, 2009) - Bud Pruitt of Houston, Texas, won the Bass Fishing League Louisiana/Texas Division bass fishing tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 22 pounds, 14 ounces. The victory earned Pruitt $4,610 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the DeGray Lake Regional Championship in Arkadelphia, Ark., Oct. 22-24, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Dicky Newberry of Houston, Texas (five bass, 20-15, $2,305); Glen Freeman of Converse, La. (five bass, 20-3, $1,536); John Cox of Cedar Creek, Texas (five bass, 18-7, $1,076) and Don Williams of Keithville, La. (five bass, 18-6, $922).
Jeff Holder took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $670 for an 8-pound bass he caught.
Ernest "Butch" Stover of Kingwood, Texas earned $2,305 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Michael Cooley of Woodville, Texas (five bass, 18-14, $1,152); Rusty Rogers of Arkadelphia, Ark. (five bass, 18-10, $768); Sam Musick of Brookeland, Texas (five bass, 17-2, $538) and Warren Whitaker of Woodville, Miss. (five bass, 14-6, $461).
John Ellender, Jr. earned $335 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass.
The next Louisiana/Texas Division event will be held on the Toledo Bend Lake in Many, La., March 28.
In BFL competition, boaters supply the boat and compete from the front deck against other boaters. Co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.
Total awards are based on a full field of 200 boats in every tournament.