HUDDLESTON, Va. – Mark Robertson of Henderson, N.C., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 14 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division tournament on Smith Mountain Lake. For his victory, Robertson earned $6,359.
“I was fishing near the Blackwater River area,” said Robertson. “I was looking for the points, and I would target the structure and stumps in 8 to 15 feet of water. It was a pretty tough day out there. I only had six keeper bites.
“I was throwing a Texas rig, rigged with a green pumpkin-colored Berkley Power Worm,” Robertson continued. “I found three good fish on the beds, and I had them in the boat by 9:30 a.m. I didn’t catch my other three until around noon. I’d had a few good days of practice, and coming into this event I thought it would take around 20 pounds to win, so I was pretty surprised that I won it with 16. It was warm and sunny during most of my practice days, and I think the cloudy weather moved them out a little deeper.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Luke Nichols, Moneta, Va., five bass, 15-6, $2,179
3rd: Brandon Gray, Bullock, N.C., five bass, 15-3, $1,452
4th: Jacob Powroznik, Prince George, Va., five bass, 14-6, $1,017
5th: Thomas Wooten, Huddleston, Va., five bass, 14-1, $872
6th: Shawn Hammack, Gasburg, Va., five bass, 13-14, $799
7th: Gabriel Scott, Ruckersville, Va., five bass, 13-8, $726
8th: William Kemp, Scotland Neck, N.C., five bass, 13-7, $617
8th: William Shelton III, La Crosse, Va., five bass, 13-7, $617
10th: Kevin Kane, Woodbridge, Va., five bass, 13-5, $509
Josh DeMaury of Troutville, Va., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 12 pounds, 9 ounces Saturday to win $2,179 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: David Deciucis, Richmond, Va., five bass, 11-7, $1,090
3rd: Braxton Moore, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 10-10, $725
4th: Keith Allen, Sumerduck, Va., five bass, 10-9, $509
5th: Mark Belew, Palmyra, Va., three bass, 9-15, $436
6th: Michael Nelms, Hartwood, Va., four bass, 9-13, $400
7th: Keith Ruley, Lexington, Va., four bass, 9-12, $363
8th: Brent Chapman, Union Hall, Va., five bass, 9-5, $327
9th: Gerald Heffler, Chester Va., four bass, 9-2, $291
10th: Kermit Crowder, Matoaca, Va., five bass, 9-1, $254
The next BFL Shenandoah Division tournament is scheduled for June 23 on the Potomac River in La Plata, Md. After the fifth Shenandoah Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 11-13 Regional Championship on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C. 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.