posted June 26, 2007
Boater Tim Wyatt of Crossville, Tenn., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division tournament on Watts Bar Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 22 pounds, 5 ounces. The victory earned Wyatt $3,697 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Appling, Ga., Oct. 11-13, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Wyatt fished a Hot Lips lure in 18 to 22 feet of water around ledges and creek channels.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Guy Siler of Rutledge, Tenn. (five bass, 21-10, $2,175); Chris Whitson of Knoxville, Tenn. (five bass, 20-00, $1,451); Tim Smiley of White Pine, Tenn. (five bass, 14-12, $1,015) and Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tenn. (five bass, 14-09, $870).
Jason O'Dell of Rockwood, Tenn., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $615 for a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass.
Bryan Roberts of Clinton, Tenn., earned $2,064 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to four bass weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces that he caught while fishing a Carolina rig in 15 to 20 feet of water.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Trent Giles of Riceville, Tenn. (four bass, 13-08, $860); Darrell Widner of Knoxville, Tenn. (four bass, 13-08, $860); Donnie Miller of Florence, Ala. (five bass, 13-02, $482) and Tony Keltch of Dayton, Tenn. (three bass, 10-04, $413).
Widner earned $287 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass.
The Volunteer Division's next event will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 29-30 on Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes in Lenoir City, Tenn.
Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the 2008 All-American presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million, a potential $140,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and as much as $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport's biggest championship.
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