ELBERTON, Ga. (March 27, 2006) Boater Gerald Beck of Lexington, N.C., earned $4,938 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Russell. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Savannah River Division events and featured 149 boaters vying for the win, which earned Beck 200 points in the Boater Division.
Becks winning catch of five bass weighed 15 pounds, 9 ounces. He fished out of the wind throwing a Zoom No. 9 Shad Critter Craw in 15 to 25 feet of water.
Beck also took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $745 for a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Conrad Bolt of Seneca, S.C. (five bass, 14 pounds, 8 ounces, $2,469); Darren Ashley of Calhoun Falls, S.C. (five bass, 14 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,646); Eric Jeter of Asheville, N.C. (five bass, 13 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,152) and Bruce Lowe of Clearwater, S.C. (five bass, 11 pounds, 7 ounces, $988).
Beck also took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $745 for a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Edward Laturell of Watkinsville, Ga., bested 149 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,469 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces that he caught throwing a Carolina rigged worm.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brad Poole of Hendersonville, N.C. (five bass, 11 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,235); Randy Ball of Woodruff, S.C., (five bass, 10 pounds, 4 ounces, $823) Jimmy Penland of Leicester, N.C. (four bass, 9 pounds, 6 ounces, $576) and Walter Cook of Toccoa, Ga. (five bass, 9 pounds, 4 ounces, $494).
Adam Terry of Greer, S.C., earned $372 as the co-angler big-bass award winner, thanks to a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass.
The Savannah River Divisions next event will be held May 20 on Lake Hartwell near Clemson, S.C., followed by an event on Clarks Hill Lake near Appling, Ga., June 24. The Savannah River Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 16-17 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Keowee near Seneca, S.C.