CLANTON, Ala. (March 20, 2006) - Boater Ricky Dale Smith of Ohatchee, Ala., earned $5,796 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Dixie Division bass fishing tournament on Lay Lake. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Dixie Division events and featured 189 boaters vying for the win, which earned Smith 200 points in the Boater Division.
Smith's winning catch of five bass weighed 18 pounds, 4 ounces. He threw a blue and white jerkbait in 4 feet of water around current breaks to catch his bass.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jamie Horton of Centerville, Ala. (five bass, 17 pounds, 9 ounces, $2,898); David Lowery of Columbus, Ga. (five bass, 16 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,934); Steve Hodges of Trussville, Ala. (five bass, 16 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,352) and Felton Langley of Lafayette, Ala. (five bass, 15 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,159).
Mark Stewart of Springville, Ala., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $945 for a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass he caught on a black and blue jig.
Langley earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Chris Basinger of Sylacauga, Ala., bested 189 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,898 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 11 ounces that he caught while also fishing a jerkbait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Greg Sessions of Pace, Fla. (five bass, 15 pounds, $1,449); Brian Roszell of Anniston, Ala., (five bass, 14 pounds, 6 ounces, $967) Bill White of Mount Olive, Ala., (five bass, 13 pounds, 1 ounce, $676) and Hal Murk of Sharpsburg, Ga., and Hank Tidd of Wetumpka, Ala., tied for fifth. Both co-anglers caught five bass weighing 13 pounds and earned $555.50.
Scott Curvin of Jacksonville, Ala., earned $472 as the co-angler big-bass award winner, thanks to a 6-pound bass.
Dixie Division anglers will next visit Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala., April 22 for their third regular-season event, followed by an event on West Point Lake in Lanett, Ala., May 20. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on Logan Martin Lake in Pell City, Ala., Sept. 16-17. For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or visit FLWOutdoors.com.