JASPER, Ala. (March 6, 2006) - Boater Jimmy Bahakel of Birmingham, Ala., earned $4,279 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Bama Division bass fishing tournament on Lewis Smith Lake. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Bama Division events and earned Bahakel 200 points in the Boater Division.
Bahakel's winning catch of five bass, which came on a finesse worm, weighed 16 pounds, 12 ounces.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Craig Daniel of Cullman, Ala. (five bass, 15 pounds, 9 ounces, $2,140); Hiroshi Kojima of Athens, Ala. (five bass, 14 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,426); Michael Cruce of Bremen, Ala. (five bass, 14 pounds, 2 ounces, $998) and Robin Erb of Crane Hill, Ala. (five bass, 13 pounds, 9 ounces, $856).
Daniel earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Timothy Williams of Auburn, Ala., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $605 for a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass he caught on War Eagle spinnerbait.
David Marr of Cleveland, Tenn., earned $2,064 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 10 pounds, 2 ounces that he caught from deep water on a finesse worm.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Lynn Sweatmon of Cullman, Ala. (four bass, 10 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,032); Roland Graves of Bremen (four bass, 8 pounds, 8 ounces, $688) Robert Wallace of Lithia Springs, Ga., (five bass, 8 pounds, 5 ounces, $482) and Glen Copeland of Moulton, Ala. (four bass, 7 pounds, 14 ounces, $413).
Marr earned $287 as the co-angler big-bass award winner, thanks to a 4-pound, 1-ounce bass.
The Bama Division's next event will be held on Wheeler Lake near Decatur, Ala., April 8. The fourth event will be held May 13 on Weiss Lake and the Bama Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 9-10 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Guntersville near Scottsboro, Ala.