Jig and Wakebait Lift Knight to Victory

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Jeff Knight of Cleveland, Tennessee, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win the third Walmart Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division tournament of 2015 on South Holston Reservoir. For his victory, Knight earned $3,514.

Knight said his winning bass came from spots near the South Holston Dam, where there was lay-downs on the main river.

“My boat sat in about 35 feet of water and I would fish the drop-offs,” said Knight. “There was a lot of action in the trees so I knew I would be sticking around there for a while. I caught nine keepers in the 3½- to 4-pound range by the end of the day.”

Knight said his key baits were a green-pumpkin-colored V&M football-head jig and a bone-colored wakebait.

“I would just keep running the wakebait across the top of those trees and grab the jig if that didn’t work,” said Owen. “Luckily the fish weren’t too finicky’s.”

The top 10 boaters:

1^st:          Jeff Knight, Cleveland, Tenn., five bass, 17-2, $3,514

2^nd:         Wayne Coppage, Jonesboro, Tenn., five bass, 16-1, $1,757

3^rd:          Kevin Edwards, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 15-15, $1,172

4^th:          Seth Austin, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 15-13, $820

5^th:          Sam Meade, Coeburn, Va., five bass, five bass, 15-7, $703

6^th:          Nick Meadows, Cedar Bluff, Va., five bass, 14-14, $644

7^th:          Jimmy Amburgey, Lebanon, Va., five bass, 14-11, $556

7^th:          Doug Burke, Castlewood, Va., five bass, 14-11, $556

9^th:          Derrick Blake, Rockwood, Tenn., five bass, 14-7, $469

10^th:        Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 14-2, $410              

Complete results can be found here.  

Jerry Goodner of Cleveland, Tennessee, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounce and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $450.

Smith wins co-angler title

Craig Smith of Knoxville, Tennessee, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 12 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win $1,753 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers:

1^st:          Craig Smith, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 12-12, $1,753

2^nd:         Joshua Jernigan, Rocky Top, Tenn., five bass, 12-8, $876

3^rd:          Marcus White, Johnson City, Tenn., five bass, 11-15, $585

4^th:          Jason Melton, Knoxville, Tenn., three bass, 9-2, $409

5^th:          Christopher Fleming, Clinchco, Va., four bass, 8-12, $351

6^th:          Wade Gilbert, Lafayette, Ga., three bass, 8-10, $306

6^th:          Jessee Roberts, Big Stone Gap, Va., four bass, 8-10, $306

8^th:          Franklin Ray, Unicoi, Tenn., three bass, 8-3, $263

9^th:          Tony Brown, Harriman, Tenn., three bass, 8-0, $219

9^th:          Steve Hall, Hillsville, Va., three bass, 8-0, $219

Luther Crass Jr. of Harriman, Tennessee, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $220.

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.