Salzman Cracks 31 Pounds on Guntersville

Miller nets co-angler title

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – Ryan Salzman of Huntsville, Alabama, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 31 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win the third Walmart Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division tournament of 2015 on Lake Guntersville. For his victory, Salzman earned $4,948.

“I feel blessed,” said Salzman. “I never fish my two best spots during a tournament but I did on Saturday because I figured I’d need all the weight I can get.”

In order to catch his winning stringer, Salzman said he focused on mid-lake shell beds and stumps.

“Ten minutes into the day I caught a 7-pound fish,” said Salzman. “About 15 minutes later I netted another 7-pounder and from there we went to work.

“Around 9 a.m. I went to another spot and fired up a school and got them eating. At that point my co-angler and I were both doing well,” said Salzman.

The Alabama angler said he caught the majority of his fish on a R2-D2-colored True Bass Little Head 4.5 swimbait in 8 to 10 feet of water.

“Around 2 p.m. I stopped at a spot I found in practice and culled out a 4½-pounder with a 6-pounder,” Salzman said. “I knew then that I had a chance at a top-three finish.”

Salzman said he caught around 20 fish during the tournament. 

“I was nervous about weigh-in because I knew someone else would be catching 30 pounds. The big ones were biting,” Salzman said. “I don’t think I would’ve won if I hadn’t culled at that final spot.”

The top 10 boaters:

1^st:          Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 31-15, $4,948

2^nd:         Benjie Allen, Scottsboro, Ala., five bass, 31-6, $2,474

3^rd:          Wayne Boyd, Rome, Ga., five bass, 22-3, $1,649

4^th:          David Allen, Florence, Ala., five bass, 21-7, $1,155

5^th:          Shane Moss, Jasper, Tenn., five bass, 21-5, $990

6^th:          Freddy Palmer, Estill Springs, Tenn., five bass, 21-0, $907

7^th:          Josh Butler, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 20-12, $783

7^th:          Wayne Christopher, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 20-12, $783

9^th:          Tyler Kiker, Alexandria, Ala., five bass, 20-9, $660

10^th:        Brian Horton, Fort Payne, Ala., five bass, 18-13, $548

10^th:        Cole Wade, Scottsboro, Ala., five bass, 18-13, $548

Complete results can be found here.  

Allen caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $755.

Miller wins co-angler title

Randy Miller of Huntsville, Alabama, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win $2,474 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers:

1^st:          Randy Miller, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 17-15, $2,474

2^nd:         Marcus Corbett, Heflin, Ala., five bass, 17-3, $1,237

3^rd:          Daniel McGhee, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 16-13, $824

4^th:          Wesley Smith, Vinemont, Ala., five bass, 16-5, $577

5^th:          Craig Pletcher, Ringgold, Ga., five bass, 15-13, $495

6^th:          Devereaux Adams, Powder Springs, Ga., five bass, 15-12, $454

7^th:          Allan Garner, Estill Springs, Tenn., five bass, 15-9, $391

7^th:          Jerry Nydam, Arab, Ala., five bass, 15-9, $391

9^th:          Jody Evans, Toney, Ala., five bass, 15-7, $330

10^th:        Devin O'Dell, Trenton, Ga., five bass, 15-5, $289

Garner caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $377.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 Regional Championship on Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden, Alabama. 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.