MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (March 13, 2006) - Boater Jim Murray Jr. of Arabi, Ga., earned $6,000 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Sinclair. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Bulldog Division events and featured 200 boaters vying for the win, which earned Murray 200 points in the Boater Division.
Murray's winning catch of five bass weighed 18 pounds, 11 ounces. He was throwing a green-pumpkin Zoom worm around docks, brush and stumps when he caught his bass.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Tim Weredyk of Rincon, Ga. (four bass, 15 pounds, 1 ounce, $3,000); Mike Cleveland of Monticello, Ga. (five bass, 14 pounds, $2,000); Clifford Avery of Bonaire, Ga. (five bass, 12 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,400) and Mike D. Blackshear of Macon, Ga. (five bass, 11 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,200).
Weredyk took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $1,000 for an 8-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a crankbait, plus an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Clark Harper of Eatonton, Ga., and Mark Olden of McDonough, Ga., tied for first place. Each angler caught four bass weighing 10 pounds, 8 ounces and earned $2,250.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Russell Hall of Covington, Ga., (five bass, 9 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,000) Todd Classon of Albany, Ga., (five bass, 8 pounds, 9 ounces, $700) and Billy Cain of Jackson, Ga. (four bass, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, $600).
Wayne Swinford of Cartersville, Ga., earned $500 as the co-angler big-bass award winner, thanks to a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass he caught on a Carolina rig.
Bulldog Division anglers will next visit Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga., April 1 for their second regular-season event, followed by an event on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala., May 6. The division's fourth qualifying event will be held at West Point Lake in Lanette, Ala., June 3. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on Lake Oconee in Buckhead, Ga., Sept. 30-31.