LAKE WALES, Fla. (May 7, 2007) - Boater Billy Bowen Jr. of Ocala, Fla., won the Bass Fishing League Gator Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Kissimmee Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 25 pounds, 5 ounces. The victory earned Bowen $4,205 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Appling, Ga., Oct.11-13, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Bowen was pitching the lily pads with top water baits to catch his five bass limit.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Bill Rucker of Cocoa, Fla., (five bass, 24-14, $2,474); Micah Silverman of Orlando, Fla., (five bass, 22-1, $1,649); Wayne Yohn of Polk City, Fla., (five bass, 21-12, $1,155) and Donald Dwayne Davis of Summerfield, Fla., (five bass, 20-15, $990).
David Givens of Hernando, Fla., and Wayne Yohn of Polk City split the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $377.50 each with a pair of 7-pound, 15-ounce bass.
Robert Moore of Pinellas Park, Fla., earned $2,469 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brian Malys of Bartow, Fla., (five bass, 15-5, $1,235); David Iglesias of Crystal River, Fla., (five bass, 13-0, $823); Adam Trott of Lakeland, Fla., (five bass, 11-3, $576) and Scott Fannon of Oldsmar, Fla., (five bass, 10-4, $494).
Tracy Sloan of Apopka, Fla., earned $372 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 8-pound, 5-ounce bass. The Gator Division's next event will be the final event of the regular season a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 15-16 on Harris Chain of Lakes in Tavares, Fla.