DECATUR, Ala. (May 18, 2009) - David Sharp of Waynesboro, Tenn., won the Bass Fishing League Bama Division bass fishing tournament on Wheeler Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 4 ounces. The victory earned Sharp $3,466 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship in Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 22-24, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"It was a slow day and when it came a real hard rain storm is when I caught most of my fish," said Sharp.
Sharp caught his limit fishing the Decatur flats with a 3/8-ounce white jig and used a Zoom Speed craw as a trailer.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Johnny Childers of Toney, Ala. (five bass, 16-9, $1,733); Timothy Little of Acworth, Ga. (five bass, 15-8, $1,155); Jay Kendrick of Grant, Ala. (five bass, 15-5, $809) and Charles Watts of Corinth, Miss. (five bass, 15-0, $693).
Thomas Helton of Charleston, Tenn., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $435 for a 5-pound, 5-ounce bass he caught.
Jeff Reed of Summertown, Tenn., earned $1,733 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 13 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jayme McGee of Killen, Ala. (five bass, 12-3, $866); Joshua Hughes of Summertown, Tenn. (five bass, 12-2, $577); Kaisle Lawson of Muscle Shoals, Ala. (five bass, 11-15, $404); and Luke Porter of Fayette, Ala. (five bass, 11-9, $347).
Waymon Maples of Scottsboro, Ala., earned $217 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass.
The final regular-season Bama Division tournament, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held on Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Ala., Sept. 12-13