BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (Feb. 2, 2008) - Pro Clint Brownlee of Tifton, Ga., caught a one bass weighing 4 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win the Stren Series Southeast Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Seminole with a four-day total of 11 bass weighing 45-04. For his victory, Brownlee earned $25,000 cash.
'The weather played a huge factor in this tournament,' Brownlee said. 'I stuck with the same plan all week. I ran up the river in an aluminum boat and targeted shallow bass. I figured I would have a consistent bite all week even with the cold fronts moving in if I went up the river. '
Brownlee caught his bass using an array of jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits.
Brownlee opened the tournament Wednesday with two bass weighing 7-15. On Thursday he added another five bass weighing 19-00. He then caught three bass weighing 13-06 on Friday to make the crucial top 10 cut in first place.
Rounding out the top five pros are Mike Jackson of San Mateo, Fla. (11 bass, 39-10, $9,481); Curt Fannin of Prestonsburg, Ky. (10 bass, 31-10, $8,534 plus $5,000 Ranger bonus); Larry Jones of Acworth, Ga. (19 bass, 31-06, $7,585); and Shane Cole of Empire, Ala. (15 bass, 31-02, $6,637).
Currey Holley of Pulaski, Tenn., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Wednesday '" an 8-pound, 14-ounce bass '" that earned him the day's Snickers Big Bass award of $285.
Bill Dunn of Maynardville, Tenn., won the Co-angler Division and $5,000 cash with a four-day total of seven bass weighing 22-06.
'It was a tough week,' Dunn said. 'The weather played a major factor in this tournament. Cold fronts came through the area which made it difficult to stay with a certain pattern.'
Dunn caught most of his fish this week flipping mats.� �
Dunn caught one bass weighing 4-33 Wednesday while fishing to open the tournament in 31st place. He then zeroed on Thursday. On Friday he added two more bass weighing 9-14 to make the top 10 cut in seventh place. Finally, on Saturday, he sealed the win with a four-bass catch weighing 8-05.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ralph Moseley of Panama City, Fla. (nine bass, 20-05, $3,836); Gerrit Goins of Cleveland, Tenn. (six bass, 18-14, $3,117); John Allen of Midland, Ga. (eight bass, 17-01, $2,398); and Matthew Roesch of Toccoa, Ga. (six bass, 16-08, $1,919).
Goins caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Wednesday '" a 9-pound, 4-ounce bass '" that earned him the day's Snickers Big Bass award of $144.
The next Stren Series Southeast Division event, hosted by Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, will be held March 12-15 on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala. Boats will launch from Lakepoint State Park in Eufaula and the final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart located at 1252 S. Eufaula Ave. in Eufaula.