BRANDON, Miss. (March 9, 2009) - Reid Sanders of Newton, Miss., won the Bass Fishing League Mississippi Division bass fishing tournament on the Ross Barnett Reservoir Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 19 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned Sanders $5,046 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Kentucky/Barkley Lakes Regional Championship in Gilbertsville, Ky., Oct. 15-17, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"It was a rough day until the last two hours," said Sanders. "I was catching them all day but they were small. The last hour or so is when I got my last three for the weigh-in."
Sanders was shocked by the results as he was one of the last anglers to weigh in and didn't think he had enough for the win. He caught his limit using a swim bait and a Terminator spinnerbait fishing stumps and shallow water around lily pads.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Chris Wooten of West Point, Miss. (five bass, 17-15, $2,523); Keith Shelton of Brandon, Miss. (five bass, 17-11, $1,682); David Lee of Canton, Miss. (five bass, 17-8, $1,177) and Will Boatright of Philadelphia, Miss. (five bass, 16-14, $1,009).
Mark Jones took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $770 for a 7-pound, 10-ounce bass he caught.
Larry Howard of Monroe, La., earned $2,490 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 13 pounds, 12 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Mark Sullivan of Collinsville, Miss. (five bass, 12-14, $1,245); Wade Wood of Collinsville, Miss. (five bass, 12-10, $829); Ryan Strait of Brandon, Miss. (four bass, 11-12, $581); and Joe Wooley of Collierville, Tenn. (four bass, 11-5, $498).
Joe Wooley earned $380 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 7-pound, 4-ounce bass.
The next Mississippi Division event will be held on the Pickwick Lake in Luka, Miss., April 18.