Practice Pays for Price on Lake Russell
Denny claims co-angler prize
ELBERTON, Ga. – Bo Price of Westminster, South Carolina, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds even Saturday to win the second Walmart Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division tournament of 2015 on Lake Russell. For his victory, Price earned $6,796.
“The financial part is great, but getting out there and seeing all your hard work come to fruition is always more satisfying to me than the money,” said Price.
In order to claim the tournament’s top prize, Price said that he fished his favorite patches of trees in the midlake area, off the main river.
“The timber has a lot of decent fish in it,” said Price. “I usually can catch some quality bass in there.”
He went on to say that the weather definitely played a big role in this tournament.
“Up until about three days before the tournament, the weather was nice and the fish were pulling up shallow in their prespawn phase,” Price said. “But the recent cold rain pushed everything back a bit deeper.”
Luckily, Price was able to start his day off right by netting a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass and another 5-pound keeper using a white 1/2-ounce Hawg Caller spinnerbait.
“After I caught those two, I was faced with the decision to fish for a limit or chase more big ones,” Price said. “I decided to keep fishing for the limit.”
Around 10 a.m., the bite slowed in the trees so Price finished off his day targeting mainlake points. He used a custom-made peanut butter and jelly-colored football-head jig to fill his limit.
“I figured it would take around 20 pounds to win the tournament,” Price said. “So I kept rolling with the 2- or 3-pounders and ended up with a nice stringer.”
The top 10 boaters:
1st: Bo Price, Westminster, S.C., five bass, 17-0, $4,796 + $2,000 Ranger Cup award
2nd: Kerry Partain, Elberton, Ga., five bass, 14-14, $2,398
3rd: Greg Glouse, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 14-13, $1,595
4th: Michael Anders, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 14-9, $1,119
5th: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., five bass, 12-15, $959
6th: Stacy Lowe, Belton, S.C., five bass, 12-8, $879
7th: Jimmy Wilson, Wagener, S.C., five bass, 12-7, $799
8th: Daryl McClellon, Cornelia, Ga., four bass, 12-6, $719
9th: Mike Bouknight, Greenwood, S.C., five bass, 11-14, $639
10th: Jerry Kotal, Elberton, Ga., five bass, 11-13, $560
Complete results can be found here.
Wilson caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $715.
Denny wins co-angler title
Westley Denny of Westminster, South Carolina, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 13 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win $2,398 in the co-angler division.
The top 10 co-anglers:
1st: Westley Denny, Westminster, S.C., five bass, 13-2, $2,398
2nd: Kirk Fowler, Simpsonville, S.C., five bass, 12-0, $1,199
3rd: Mike Brown, Buford, Ga., five bass, 11-5, $677
3rd: Charles Pruitt, Greenwood, S.C., five bass, 11-5, $677
5th: Buddy Rice, Belton, S.C., five bass, 10-13, $480
6th: Johnny Hancox, West Union, S.C., five bass, 10-11, $440
7th: Chris Nunziato, Elberton, Ga., three bass, 10-9, $400
8th: Stephen Burress, Mills River, N.C., five bass, 10-8, $320
8th: Kevin Dye, West Union, S.C., five bass, 10-8, $320
8th: Jody Rogers, Clarkesville, Ga., five bass, 10-8, $320
Nunziato caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $357.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Lake Wateree in Camden, South Carolina. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.