Decatur, Ala. (June 29, 2009) - O.B. Wilborn of Stevenson, Ala., won the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division bass fishing tournament on Wheeler Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 6 ounces. The victory earned Wilborn $4,279 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Appling, Ga., Oct. 15-17, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"We caught at least 15 keepers," said Wilborn. "Most of the fish were around the 11/2 to 2 pound range."
"We were fishing deep at the lower end of the lake catching them anywhere from 20 to 22 feet deep. We stayed and slowly worked the same area. It was about a 20-yard stretch that we fished," Wilborn said.
Wilborn caught his limit fishing with a Red Bug 10-inch worm, a Lucky Craft Flat D-20 crankbait and a Flutter Spoon.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jon Simpson of Florence, Ala. (five bass, 15-12, $2,140); Brian Tims of Vincent, Ala. (five bass, 14-11, $1,426); Kenneth Smith of Tullahoma, Tenn. (five bass, 13-12, $998) and Thomas Helton of Charleston, Tenn. (five bass, 13-8, $856).
Simpson took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $605 for a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass he caught.
Rusty Gregg of Cleveland, Tenn., earned $2,140 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds even that he caught on a crankbait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Paul Stidham of Cullman, Ala. (five bass, 12-4, $1,070); Harry Peyton II of Decatur, Ala. (five bass, 11-15, $712); Stan Brooks of Centre, Ala. (five bass, 11-13, $499); and Johnny Prince, Sr. of Brookwood, Ala. (five bass, 11-9, $428).
Mike D'Angleo, Jr. earned $302 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 9-ounce bass.
The next Choo Choo Division event will be the Super Tournament held on the Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Ala., Oct. 3-4.