Mt. IDA, Ark. (March 13, 2006) - Boater Terry Hopson of Pine Bluff, Ark., earned $5,796 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Ouachita. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Arkie Division events and featured 189 boaters vying for the win, which earned Hopson 200 points in the Boater Division.
Hopson's winning catch of five bass weighed 20 pounds, 9 ounces. Hopson caught his bass in a foot of water on a Rat-L-Trap. He earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Bombardier bonus award.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Doyle Cain of Royal, Ark. (five bass, 19 pounds, 15 ounces, $2,898); Gary Cates of Little Rock, Ark. (five bass, 16 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,934); Kevin Reynolds of Bentonville, Ark. (five bass, 16 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,352) and Brandon Rhoden of Grapevine, Ark. (five bass, 16 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,159).
Cain took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $945 for a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a jerkbait. He earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Brian Choate of Conway, Ark., earned $2,837 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces that he caught fishing in 12 foot grass beds with a jerkbait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Justin Winston of Sheridan, Ark. (five bass, 12 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,418); Kevin Harp of Fayetteville, Ark., (four bass, 12 pounds, 14 ounces, $947) Bryce Smith of Russellville, Ark., (five bass, 12 pounds, 7 ounces, $662) and William Springborg of Blytheville, Ark. (four bass, 11 pounds, 2 ounces, $567).
Bubba McVay of Springdale, Ark., earned $462 as the co-angler big-bass award winner, thanks to a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass he caught on a white spinnerbait.
Arkie Division anglers will next visit DeGray Lake in Arkadelphia, Ark., April 8 for their second regular-season event, followed by an event on Greers Ferry in Greers Ferry, Ark., May 6. The division's fourth qualifying event will be held at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Ark., June 17. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot springs, Ark., Sept. 30-31.