MONETA, Va. (May 18, 2009) - Thomas Wooten of Huddleston, Va., won the Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division bass fishing tournament on Smith Mountain Lake Saturday with a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces. The victory earned Wooten $4,009 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Potomac River Regional Championship in Marbury, Md., Oct. 8-10, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Wooten said he caught the majority of his bass fishing a trick worm on a shaky-head jig head on the lower lake.
Rounding out the top five boaters are James Henderson Jr. of Evington, Va. (five bass, 16-10, $2,005); Ryan Mace of Forest, Va. (five bass, 15-0, $1,336); Boogie Atkins of Greenville, Va. (five bass, 13-14, $935) and Jeff Camp of White Sulphur Springs, W.V. (five bass, 12-5, $802).
Atkins took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $550 for a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass he caught on a drop-shot rig.
David O'Flynn of Gainesville, Va., earned $2,005 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 10 pounds, 13 ounces.
O'Flynn said he caught the majority of his bass fishing docks 3 to 7 feet deep with a shaky-head rig.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ed Robtison of Roanoke, Va. (five bass, 9-15, $1,002); Nathan Reeves of Lynchburg, Va. (four bass, 9-11, $668); Dennis Burdette of Lindside, W.V. (five bass, 9-8, $468) and Brad Campbell of Concord, Va. (five bass, 9-5, $401).
Kenny Wynn of Gladys, Va., earned $275 as the co-angler Big Bass winner with a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a spinnerbait fishing upper lake docks.
The next Shenandoah Division event will be held on the James River in Richmond, Va., June 20.