MONETA, Va. (April 7, 2008) - Boater Ryan Mace of Forest Va. won the Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division bass fishing tournament on Smith Mountain Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 11 ounces. The victory earned Mace $4,113 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Albemarle Sound Regional Championship in Elizabeth City, N.C., Oct. 9-11, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Mace caught his limit on a green-pumpkin shaky head, focusing on shallow areas in the lower lake.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Mike Hoskings of Alexandria, Va. (five bass, 16-15, $2,419); Thomas Wooten of Huddleston, Va. (five bass, 15-05, $1,614); Scott Smith of Apex, N.C. (five bass, 15-02, $1,129) and Mark Clingenpeel of Boones Mill, Va. (five bass, 14-08, $968).
John Hess of Ligonier, Pa., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $730 for a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Greg Ratliff of Clifton Forge, Va., earned $2,419 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds, 6 ounces that he caught on a small jerk bait in shallow water.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Elzie Dorman of Charlottesville, Va. (five bass, 11-05, $1,210); Ben Dziwulski of Woodbine, Md. (five bass, 11-00, $807); Chris Noble of Winston Salem, N.C. (four bass, 9-10, $565) and Rodney Mosley of Woodbridge, Va. (three bass, 8-05, $484).
Shannon Wheeler of Thaxton, Va., earned $365 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass.
Shenandoah Division anglers will visit the Potomac River in Woodbridge, Va., May 17 for their third regular-season event, followed by an event on the James River in Richmond, Va., June 21. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on the Potomac River in Woodbridge, Va., Sept. 13-14.