RICHMOND, Va. (July 30, 2006) - Boater Kelly Pratt of Williamsburg, Va., earned $4,575 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division bass fishing tournament on the James River. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Empire Division events and earned Pratt 200 points in the Boater Division.
Pratt's winning catch of five bass weighed 13 pounds, 13 ounces.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Randy Waterman of Keysville, Va. (five bass, 12 pounds, 10 ounces, $2,288); David Carney of Yorktown, Va. (five bass, 12 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,525); Steven Esser of Waldorf, Md. (five bass, 10 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,068) and Todd Neale of Warrentown, Va.. (four bass, 10 pounds, 1 ounce, $915).
Waterman also won the Boater Division Big Bass Award with a 7-pound, 14-ounce bass earning him an additional $665.
Esser also took home an additional $500 for being the highest placing Ranger Cup participant.
Bryan Chatham of Fredericksburg, Va., won the Co-angler Division to earn $2,179 thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces.
Chatham also took home an additional $312 for winning the Co-Angler Division Big Bass Award with a 4-pound, 3-ounces bass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Cory Hatton of Colonial Heights, Va. (five bass, 8 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,090); Moo Bae of West Friendship, Md. (three bass, 8 pounds, 6 ounces, $725); Daniel Mox of Glen Burnie, Md. (four bass, 7 pounds, 9 ounces, $509); and Jason Henderson of Richmond, Va. (five bass, 7 pounds, 8 ounces, $436).
The Shenandoah Division's next event will be their two-day Super Tournament that will take place on the Potomac River near Woodbridge, Va., Sept. 30- Oct. 1.
Following the regular season, the boater with the most points who advances farthest in the BFL All-American will earn $10,000 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion. The co-angler points champion who advances farthest will earn $5,000 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion in the Co-angler Division.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. The top 40 Shenandoah Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Kerr Lake Regional near Henderson, N.C., Oct. 12-14, where they will compete against Gator, Savannah River and South Carolina anglers for one of six slots in the 2007 All-American.