CADIZ, Ky. (April 16, 2007) - Boater Tommy Ellis of Paris, Tenn., won the Bass Fishing League LBL Division bass fishing tournament on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 26 pounds, 5 ounces. The victory earned Ellis $4,940 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Fort Loudon-Tellico Lakes Regional Championship in Lenoir City, Tenn., Oct. 18-20, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Ellis also took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $955 for a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Ellis was throwing a combination of jigs and a Senko to catch his quality-sized tournament-limit of bass.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Ronald Peckenpaugh of Louisville, Ky., (five bass, 21-8, $2,906); Tony Roberts of Metropolis, Ill. (five bass, 21-1, $1,939); Ronnie Grant of Columbia, Ky., (five bass, 20-2, $1,356) and Donnie Williams of Paris, Tenn. (five bass, 19-14, $1,162).
Richard Holt of Camden, Tenn., also earned $500 for being the highest placing Ranger Cup participant.
Daniel Effinger of Evansville, Ind., and Gus Peace of Panama City, Fla., tied for first in the co-angler divisions earning them each $2,179 Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces that he caught while fishing a finesse worms and Zoom Brush Hogs around main-lake laydowns and other submerged structure.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jaret Strickland of Newburgh, Ind. (five bass, 15-4, $971); Kevin McCullough of Greencastle, Ind., (four bass, 15-2, $678); and Dennis Taylor of Fulton, Ky. (five bass, 14-6, $581).
Doug Aebersold of Louisville, Ky., earned $477 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 12-ounce bass. All LBL Division events are held on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. The next event will be May 19 out of Paris Landing State Park in Paris, Tenn., followed by a tournament June 16 out of the Kenlake Marina in Aurora, Ky. The division's final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 29-30 out of the Kentucky Dam Marina in Gilbertsville, Ky.