DENISON, Texas (April 27, 2009) - Billy Cline of Grapevine, Texas, won the Bass Fishing League Cowboy Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Texoma Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 19 pounds, 14 ounces. The victory earned Cline $2,694 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the DeGray Lake Regional Championship in Arkadelphia, Ark., Oct. 22-24, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"It was a good day overall," Cline said. "The wind made it difficult at times but the fishing was really good. There was a lot of boat traffic and if you could get away from the other boats you were in good shape."
Cline caught his limit at the lower end of the lake sight-fishing throwing a Texas-rigged white Zoom Speed Craw.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Chris McCall of Jasper, Texas (five bass, 18-15, $1,347); Ken Smith of Dallas, Texas (five bass, 16-1, $898); Mike Michelson of Altus, Okla. (five bass, 15-13, $629) and Spencer McAlester of Denison, Texas (five bass, 15-4, $539).
Cline took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $290 for a 8-pound, 12-ounce bass he caught on a white Zoom Speed Craw.
Rick Pritchard of Huntsville, Texas, earned $1,347 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five- bass weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught on a Big Bite creature bait in 8-10 feet of water.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Luke Roberts of Longview, Texas (five bass, 11-7, $674); Ryan Cohlmeyer of Fort Worth, Texas (five bass, 10-11, $449); Cody Cox of Cabin Creek, Texas (five bass, 10-9, $314); and Jeff Heaton of Hot Springs, Ark. (five bass, 10-3, $269).
Pete Hollar of Pilot Point, Texas earned $145 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass.
The next Cowboy Division event will be held on Cedar Creek in Log Cabin, Texas, May 16.