BRANDON, Miss. (April 22, 2013) – Dudley Salers of Brandon, Miss., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 20 pounds, 3 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Mississippi Division tournament on Ross Barnett. For his victory, Salers earned $4,271.
According to Salers, a self-described “72-year-old southern guy,” the tournament set up perfectly for him — the water had just come up to normal summer pool level and the day went perfect for him.
“Takeoff was at 6:30, and I had my limit by 7:15,” Salers said. “I started fishing an underwater point in Cane Creek. I was targeting shallow wood with worms and other topwater baits. I stayed there a couple of hours. I must have had about 15 pounds when I decided to leave.
“From there I moved to fish grass mats and was able to improve my limit.”
Salers said that his second spot was a shallow point. He kept his boat in about 10 feet of water and was throwing into about 2 feet of water on the edge of the pad line. He was using jigs and spinnerbaits.
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Alfred Williams, Jackson, Miss., five bass, 16-13, $2,136
3rd: Gene Bishop, Ridgeland, Miss., five bass, 15-15, $1,424
4th: Bradley Burns, Brandon, Miss., five bass, 15-13, $997
5th: Steve Jones, Moss Point, Miss., five bass, 15-7, $854
6th: Ray King, Brandon, Miss., five bass, 14-4, $783
7th: Robert Bridges, Branson, Miss., five bass, 14-0, $712
8th: Kevin Brumfield, Madison, Miss., five bass, 13-0, $641
9th: Brian Ingersoll, Cordova, Tenn., five bass, 12-9, $569
10th: Lloyd Pickett, Jr., Bartlett, Tenn., five bass, 12-4, $498
Randall Gilmore of Brandon, Miss., weighed five bass totaling 16 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win the co-angler division. Gilmore earned $2,136 for his victory. Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Steve Upton, Crystal Springs, Miss., five bass, 16-0, $1,068
3rd: Shane Cade, Clinton, Miss., five bass, 13-13, $712
4th: Chad Mayfield, Brandon, Miss., five bass, 12-1, $498
5th: Craig Mayo, Meridian, Miss., five bass, 11-7, $427
6th: Bradley Sartain, Madison, Miss., five bass, 11-2, $392
7th: Daniel Dantoni, Florence, Miss., five bass, 10-14, $338
7th: Kevin Wisnoski, Canton, Miss., five bass, 10-14, $338
9th: Dale McMichael, Waynesboro, Miss., four bass, 9-15, $285
10th: Josh Scott, Bouge Chitto, Miss., four bass, 9-8, $249
The next BFL Mississippi Division tournament is scheduled for June 22 on Lake Ferguson in Greenville, Miss. After the last divisional tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Ky. 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.