Dudley wraps up regular season with win 
ATHENS, Ala. – William Dudley wrapped up the division regular season with a win during the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, South Carolina Division 9 tournament, held June 30, 2012, on Lake Hartwell.
Running out of Gum Branch Landing near Hartwell, Ga., the Royston, Ga., angler caught five bass weighing 18.15 pounds with a 4.41-pound kicker.
“I caught all my fish on topwaters,” Dudley said. “We were keying on brush piles, running and gunning all day. We caught a lot of fish early in the morning and had a lull around lunchtime. They started hitting again about 2 p.m. I caught most of my bigger ones early.”
In second for the boaters, Russell Davis of Bowersville, Ga., brought in a five-bass tournament limit weighing 16.66 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 4.13-pound kicker.
“I fished the lower end of the lake and caught my fish on top,” Davis recalled. “I had one 5-pounder get off. We caught fish just about all day long.”
Mike Cooper of Easley, S.C., landed five bass for a 13.38-pound tally.
“I fished topwaters in open water all day long,” Cooper said. “We were around big fish, but the 2-pounders kept hitting.”
In fourth for the boaters, Sammy W. Moody of Mauldin, S.C., found five keepers going 12.49 pounds with a 4.11-pound kicker. Ryan T. Bowman of Kingsport, S.C., wrapped up the top five boaters with five bass and 12.36 pounds. Joseph Toth of Richmond Hill, Ga., landed in seventh place with five bass at 10.77 pounds, but his 4.42-pounder took the Boater Division big bass title.
“I caught the big fish about two miles from the marina on a trick worm,” Toth explained. “The fish hit in 12 feet of water at about 6:20 a.m.” 
In the Co-Angler Division, Michael S. Woods of Goose Creek, S.C., won with three bass and 11.50 pounds. Fishing with Dudley, he anchored his catch with a 4.46-pounder.
“I caught my fish at the lower end of the lake on a topwater plug,” Woods said. “I caught fish all day long, but more in the morning than in the afternoon. I lost a couple good fish.”
Ken Fender of Dallas, N.C., brought in a three-bass division limit weighing 10.49 pounds. For the first time he fished Lake Hartwell, he stayed fairly close to the marina.
“I caught one of my bigger fish by the Interstate 85 bridge,” Fender revealed. “We fished pockets most of the day, but also hit a few main-lake points. I caught one fish on a swimbait in six inches of water. The second fish hit a tube in four inches of water. The last one came on a jig in deeper water.”
In third among the co-anglers, Travis Malphrus of Ridgeland, S.C., brought in three keepers for 9.52 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 5.17-pounder to win the tournament lunker title.
“Every fish came on topwater up the lake,” Malphrus said. “We caught fish all day on top. I had a limit by 7 a.m. from the first place we fished, but the big one hit around 10 a.m. I upgraded throughout the day.”
Roman Padgett of Hardeeville, S.C., placed fourth with three bass and 8.39 pounds including a 3.38-pounder. Taking fifth among the co-anglers, Russell “RG” Gardner of Seneca, S.C., landed three keepers for 6.93 pounds.
For more information on this tournament, call Billy Benedetti at (256) 230-5632 or call ABA at (888) 203-6222. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com.
About American Bass Anglers: The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series provides weekend anglers a professionally operated competitive tour with a path the world championship of bass fishing the Bassmaster Classic. American Bass Anglers commitment is to provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
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