GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 17, 2012) – Bryan Gregory of Fort Payne, Ala., weighed a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 41 pounds, 14 ounces to win the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division super tournament on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Ala., on Sunday. For his victory, Gregory earned $5,329.
“I fished primarily in Goose Pond in the mid-lake area,” said Gregory. “All of my big fish came out of one 75-yard stretch. I was flipping grass for the entire tournament using a big weight to punch the mats. I was fishing on the edge of a break, in 9 to 10 feet of water. I flipped one bait both days – a Netbait B Bug.”
Under the sunny conditions of day one, Gregory found great success and boated nearly 20 keepers throughout the day. On day two, the sunny skies gave way to cloudy, overcast conditions and the bites slowed.
“Day two was much tougher,” Gregory said. “At 1 p.m., I only had two fish in the livewell. I had lost two big ones earlier in the day, and it was really a mental grind out there for me. I was getting the bites that I needed, I just couldn’t hook up. I was really nervous, because I figured the other guys were whacking them. I didn’t give up, though, and I just believed that I was going to catch them late. And I did.”
Around 2 p.m. Gregory caught back-to-back largemouth that would put him at the top of the leaderboard.
“I got a 4-pounder and a 7-pounder at 2 p.m., and then I started to breathe again,” Gregory went on to say. “I finally filled out my limit about 30 minutes before I had to return to check-in. The key for me out there was not giving up. I have to thank my wife, Tammy, as I would not be able to have the confidence to compete out here without her.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Brad Carroll, Hiram, Ga., 10 bass, 38-12, $2,664
3rd: Rodney Hill, Decherd, Tenn., 10 bass, 37-7, $1,777
4th: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 37-6, $1,243
5th: Jeff Knight, Cleveland, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-3, $1,066
6th: Johnny Childers, Toney, Ala., 10 bass, 34-2, $977
7th: Shane Dick, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 33-10, $888
8th: Ryan Ollard, Pell City, Ala., 10 bass, 33-9, $799
9th: Thomas Helton, Charleston, Tenn., 10 bass, 33-1, $71
10th: Marshall Deakins, Dunlap, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-6, $622
Justin Sward of Birmingham, Ala., weighed in six bass totaling 26 pounds, 6 ounces Sunday to win $2,664 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Jason Norris, Ohatchee, Ala., nine bass, 24-12, $1,332
3rd: Andrew Clayton, Westpoint, Tenn., seven bass, 24-8, $889
4th: Daniel Crockett, Old Hickory, Tenn., seven bass, 21-2, $622
5th: Curtis Merriman II, Cullman, Ala., seven bass, 18-15, $533
6th: David Ashley, Estill Springs, Tenn., six bass, 18-14, $488
7th: Scott Cheyne, New Market, Ala., six bass, 15-10, $444
8th: James Castle, Nauvoo, Ala., five bass, 14-6, $400
9th: Ray Elmore, Calhoun, Ga., five bass, 14-1, $355
10th: Burr McConnell, Henagar, Ala., five bass, 12-13, $311
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 4-6 Regional Championship on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.