Davenport strikes fast for Neely Henry victory

ATHENS, Ala. – Brian Davenport landed his fish early to win the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Alabama North Division 1 tournament, held May 12, 2012, on Lake Neely Henry.

Running out of Coosa Landing near Gadsden, the Attalla, Ala., angler caught five bass weighing 18.71 pounds with a 4.19-pound kicker. For the Boater Division victory, Davenport took home a check for $3,089.

“I caught some on a white buzzbait and some on a shad-colored crankbait,” Davenport revealed. “We fished flats on the main river and had a limit in 20 minutes.”

Kemp finds honey hole for Dardanelle victory

ATHENS, Ala. – Cody Kemp found a secret spot to win the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Arkansas Division 12 tournament, held May 12, 2012, on Lake Dardanelle.

Running out of Dardanelle State Park Marina near Russellville, the 26-year-old Donaldson, Ark., angler brought in five keepers weighing 17.70 pounds with a 4.24-pound kicker. He actually landed 15 bass.

“I didn’t get any practice time,” Kemp lamented. “I fished some areas close to deep water that always hold big fish. The area holds a lot of big gizzard shad. The bass were keying on those shad. I don’t think that place gets a lot of pressure. I fished the outside of the grass with a walking bait or a frog on an 8-foot flipping stick with 80-pound Power Pro line.”

Kizziah wins shootout on Chickamauga

ATHENS, Ala. – Tom Kizziah III cranked his way to victory during the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Tennessee East Division 4 tournament, held May 12, 2012, on Lake Chickamauga.

Running out of Chester Frost Park Landing near Hixson, the Chickamauga, Ga., angler caught five bass weighing 25.25 pounds for a 5.05-pound average. He upped his average with a 5.75-pound kicker. For the Boater Division victory, Kizziah took home a check for $2,093.

“I fished the lower end of the lake with a crankbait,” Kizziah said. “I had all the fish I weighed in by 9:30 a.m., but lost a 7-pounder. We fished the brakes, mussel beds and ledge ledges with bait on them.”

Lillard jigs his way to victory on Lake Barkley

ATHENS, Ala. – Toby L. Lillard went shallow to win the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Kentucky Division 15 tournament, held May 5, 2012, on Lake Barkley.

Running out of Lake Barkley Marina near Cadiz, the Clarksville, Tenn., angler caught five bass weighing 21.05 pounds for a 4.21-pound average. He anchored his bag with a 5.30-pound kicker. For the Boater Division victory, Lillard took home a check for $3,089 after fishing the southern part of the lake.

“All my fish came on a black and blue jig in less than three feet of water,” Lillard revealed. “They were as far back in the creeks as they could get. I found them on the sunny side of laydowns.”

Hawkins Carolina rigs to victory in Texas

ATHENS, Ala. – Hitting the division midpoint, Terry Hawkins won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, East Texas Division 11 tournament, held May 5, 2012, on Richland Chambers Lake.

Running out of Oak Cove Marina near Corsicana, the hometown angler caught five bass weighing 17.57 pounds topped by a 7.84-pound kicker. For the Boater Division victory, Hawkins went home with a check for $2,730.90. He caught a total of seven fish.

“I fish this lake a lot,” Hawkins revealed. “I used my Humminbird side-scan electronics to find the baitfish. I caught my fish on a Carolina rig with a green pumpkin trick worm. I keyed on humps and points with rocks. When I hung the big one, I thought it was a catfish at first until he came up and jumped.”

Anderson wins second South Carolina event

ATHENS, Ala. – Halfway through the regular season, Phillip Anderson won his second Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, South Carolina Division 9 tournament, this one held May 5, 2012, on Lake Wateree.

Running out of Clearwater Cove landing near Camden, the Saluda, S.C., angler caught five bass weighing 15.92 pounds with a 4.04-pound kicker. With his second Boater Division victory of the year. On Jan. 28, 2012, he won the BWS event on Lake Murray with 23.57 pounds including a 6.97-pounder that took tournament lunker honors.

“I mostly flipped boat docks with a big worm or tube at the lower end of the lake,” Anderson said of his Wateree victory.

Partin wins big in delayed Ohio tournament

ATHENS, Ala. – After a two-hour fog delay, Tim E. Partin won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Ohio Division 20 tournament, held May 5, 2012, on Indian Lake.

Running out of Moundwood Ramp at Indian Lake State Park near Bellefontaine, the Springboro angler caught five bass weighing 11.84 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 4.50-pound kicker that took the tournament lunker title. For the Boater Division victory, he took home a check for $2,093 with a $218 bonus for the big bass. On March 31, 2012, Partin came in second at Rocky Fork Lake with five bass weighing 10.61 pounds including a 3.43-pounder.

O’Donnell wins $5,000 Potomac River shootout

ATHENS, Ala. – Pete M. O’Donnell Sr. emerged on top after beating more than 100 competitors to win the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Maryland Division 21 tournament, held April 28, 2012, on the Potomac River.

Running out of Smallwood State Park Landing near Marbury, the Deale, Md., angler caught five bass weighing 20.71 pounds for a 4.14-pound average. He upped his average and sealed his Boater Division victory by putting a 6.12-pound kicker in the livewell. O’Donnell took home a check for $5,000 as guaranteed for a Boater Division champion in any tournament with more than 100 boats.

In second for the boaters, David A. Hooker Jr. of Stafford, Va., put a five-bass tournament limit into the boat for 19.61 pounds. He capped his catch with a 5.22-pound kicker.

Ragusa repeats 2011 triumph at Bayou Black

ATHENS, Ala. – Repeating his 2011 victory in the same place, Lucas J. Ragusa won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Louisiana Division 13 tournament, held April 28, 2012, on Bayou Black.

Running out of Bob’s Bayou Black Marina near Gibson to fish the lower Atchafalaya Basin, the 34-year-old Gonzales angler caught five bass weighing 16.21 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 4.02-pounder to take home $2,347.23 as the Boater Division winner.

“Everything went the way I needed it to go,” Ragusa said. “We’d throw a 1/4-ounce white Humdinger spinnerbait. If we got a bump, we threw back in there with a black neon beaver. We found some isolated patches of hydrilla and hyacinths and punched through to catch my biggest fish. I caught about 25 fish with 10 keepers and culled twice. I missed two 4-pounders.”

Duvall runs up the river for Oconee victory

ATHENS, Ala. – Spinning and chattering, John Duvall won the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Georgia Division 8 tournament, held April 28, 2012, on Lake Oconee.

Running out of Sugar Creek Marina near Buckhead, the Madison angler caught five bass weighing 15.89 pounds. He anchored his catch with a 3.96-pound kicker to pocket $2,255 as the Boater Division winner.

“I caught all my fish on chatterbaits or spinnerbaits,” Duvall said. “I’m a river rat and headed way up the river. I lost one fish, but don’t know if it would have helped.”

Hollingshead takes it all at Percy Priest

ATHENS, Ala. – Jeff Hollingshead won the big bucks during the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Tennessee Central Division 3 tournament, held April 28, 2012, on Percy Priest Lake.

Running out of Fate Sanders Marina near Smyrna, the Murfreesboro angler caught five bass weighing 16.50 pounds. The Percy Priest defending champion capped his catch with a 4.85-pounder that won Boater Division big bass bragging rights. For the Boater Division victory, Hollingshead pocketed $2,131. On March 19, 2011, Hollingshead won at Percy Priest with four bass going 14.54 pounds for his first ABA victory.

“In the morning, I caught fish on top with a Spook,” Hollingshead said about the 2012 tournament. “I had to throw it almost up on the bank to get bit. I was really upset. I had three keepers in the boat and had two big ones get off. One was about a 4-pound smallmouth. The other was a largemouth at least 5 pounds. I thought I was done. As the sun came up, I started catching fish on crankbaits in about nine feet of water off a main point. I caught some others by flipping.”