LANETTE, Ala. (May 21, 2007) - Boater Eric Aldrich of Cumming, Ga., won the Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division bass fishing tournament on West Point Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 9 ounces. The victory earned Aldrich $4,744 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship in Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Aldrich caught his bass flipping a football-head jig around shallow cover in the lower lake area.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Kip Carter of Loganville, Ga. (five bass, 13-3, $2,791); Scott Hayes of Newnan, Ga. (five bass, 12-7, $1,861); William Hensley of McDonough, Ga. (five bass, 11-8, $1,302) and Tim Howell of Ball Grand, Ga. (five bass, 11-7, $1,116).
David Lowery of Milledgeville, Ga., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $895 for a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Jack Griffin of Flowery Branch, Ga., earned $2,791 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Joey Weaver of Macon, Ga. (five bass, 7-10, $1,395); Charles Smith of Tyrone, Ga. (five bass, 7-8, $931); Chad Thompson of Gaylesville, Ala. (two bass, 7-6, $651) and Billy Cain of Jackson, Ga. (five bass, 7-3, $558).
Thompson also earned $447 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass. The final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 8-9 on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala.