GALLATIN, Tenn. (Oct. 30, 2006) - Boater Hank Cherry of Charlotte, N.C., earned $6,457 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Wild Card bass fishing tournament on Old Hickory Lake. Anglers who entered all five of their BFL division's events and didn't qualify for a Regional Championship were invited to compete in the two-day event.
Cherry's winning two-day catch of nine bass weighed 18 pounds, 13 ounces. In addition to the prize money, Cherry earned a ticket to the 2007 $1 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American, where the winning boater will earn as much as $140,000 and the winning co-angler will earn as much as $70,000.
Cherry also earned an additional $1,000 for winning the Ranger Cup contingency award.
The top six boaters and the top six co-anglers at the Chevy Wild Card earned a spot to compete in the All-American. Rounding out the top six boaters were George Crain of Cropwell, Ala. (seven bass, 17 pounds, 5 ounces, $3,228); Freddy Hurley of Somerset, Ky. (10 bass, 16 pounds, 2 ounces); Mike Robinson of Acworth, Ga. (seven bass, 15 pounds, 6 ounces, $2,438); Robert Boyd of Russellville, Ala. (six bass, 14 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,722); and Harvey Miller of Trafalgar, Ind. (six bass, 13 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,363).
The Boater Division big bass award for day one went to Tommy Stevens of Morganfield, Ky., with a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass earning him $930. The big bass award on day two went to Michael Scully of Louisville, Ky., with a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass that also earned him $930.
Gerlad Shaw of Franklin, Ind., earned $3,618 as the co-angler winner, thanks to a two-day total of four bass weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces.
Rounding out the top six co-anglers were Tom Messer of Douglasville, Ga. (three bass, 8 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,809); Rick Moewe of Nashville, Tenn. (four bass, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,367); Anthony Davis of McCalla, Ala. (three bass, 7 pounds, 15 ounces, $965); Gary White of Lamar, Mo. (two bass, 7 pounds, 6 ounces, $764); and David Wright of Winston, Ga. (five bass, 6 pounds, 15 ounces, $683).
The Co-angler big bass award on day one went to Roger Moody of Dixon, Mo., with a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass earning him $553. On day two, the big bass award went to Keith Odom of Pinson, Ala., for landing a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass that also earned him $553.