LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 1, 2007) - Boater Calvin Davidson of Plainfield, Ind., caught four bass weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces Friday to take charge of the Bass Fishing League All-American bass fishing tournament on the Ohio River. His catch, the heaviest of the tournament, bumped him from fifth to first, giving the BFL rookie a two-day total of eight bass weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces and a 1-pound, 8-ounce lead over his closest competitor. Davidson is now just one day away from winning the biggest, and toughest, tournament of his life and pocketing $140,000.
To pull off the win, however, he must outfish nine other finalists in the Boater Division, which was whittled down from 54 anglers following Friday's weigh-in. These finalists represent the best of more than 30,000 competitors who strive to qualify for the lucrative championship each year through a series qualifying tournaments and regional championships covering the United States.
"With just four fish on the first day and four more today, I never dreamed I would be standing up here in the lead," said Davidson, who qualified for the All-American through the Hoosier Division, where he finished 29th in the points standings and fifth in the Kentucky Lake Regional Championship. "There are a lot of quality anglers out here, so it's going to be tough." Davidson is understandably keeping his fishing secrets to himself for now in the hope of keeping every conceivable advantage in a tournament that will likely be decided by a matter of ounces. He did say, however, that he has not locked through to any other pool.
Rounding out the top-five boaters are seven time All-American qualifier Curtis Samo of Rochelle, Ill. (seven bass, 11-4); Shonn Goodwin of Moore, Okla. (eight bass, 11-1); Dicky Newberry of Houston (eight bass, 11-0); and Ronald Yurko of East Point, Fla. (eight bass, 10-8).
Also clearing the top-10 cut weight of 7 pounds, 3 ounces in the Boater Division are Thomas Southern of Sylacauga, Ala.; Matthew Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark.; Richard Heath Jr. of Beaverdam, Va.; Jamey Black of Sheridan, Ark.; and Jeff Benson of Holmen, Wis.
Davidson caught the heaviest bass in the Boater Division Friday, winning the Snickers Big Bass Award of $500 with a 3-pound, 7-ounce largemouth.
Overall, 68 bass weighing a total of 109 pounds, 10 ounces were caught by 36 boaters Friday. The catch included three five-bass limits.
Kevin Wells of South Shore, Ky., who qualified through The Bass Federation Northern Division after finishing fifth in the TBF National Championship on Lake Wylie, leads the Co-angler Division in the chase for a top award of $70,000 with a two-day total of seven-bass weighing 10 pounds, 5 ounces.
Wells caught three bass weighing 6 pounds, 5 ounces Friday while fishing with boater Rickey Campbell of Waxahachie, Texas, who finished 32nd with two bass weighing 3-0. On Thursday Wells caught four bass weighing 4 pounds while fishing with boater James Edwards of Greenville, SC, who finished 48th.
Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Mike Williams of Lancaster, Ky. (three bass, 5-13); Jeremy Mull of Chatham, Ill. (three bass, 5-4); Jeffery O'Connor of Charlotte, N.C. (four bass, 4-15); and Chad Hartzog of Bush, La. (three bass, 4-8). Also clearing the top-10 cut weight of 2 pounds, 12 ounces in the Co-angler Division are Dick Martin of Baltimore; William Feyh of Brandon, Miss.; Stacy Metz of Staley, N.C.; Glen Mire of Jackson, Miss.; and Paul Stokes of Grand Ledge, Mich.
Wells caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division Friday, winning the Snickers Big Bass Award of $500 with a 3-pound, 10-ounce largemouth.
Overall, 28 bass weighing a total of 44 pounds were caught by 20 co-anglers Friday. No limits were caught. The 10 remaining boaters and co-anglers will continue competition Saturday with a 7 a.m. takeoff from Carrie Gaulbert Cox Park located at 3730 River Road in Louisville, and the winners will be determined by the heaviest total catch from all three days of competition. Saturday's final weigh-in will start at 4 p.m. at the Kentucky Exposition Center located at 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville.
In All-American competition, boaters control boat movement and fish from the front deck against other boaters while co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers. Boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired each day.