Two in a Row for Fox

Helton nets co-angler win on Lake Cumberland

MONTICELLO, Ky. – Dwight Fox of Gainesboro, Tennessee, weighed four bass totaling 16 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win the third Walmart Bass Fishing League Mountain Division tournament of 2015 on Lake Cumberland. For his victory, Fox earned $4,463.

“During practice I looked for stained water in the flats and found some good spots, so that’s what I focused on during the tournament,” said Fox, who also won a Walmart BFL event last weekend on Center Hill Lake in Sparta, Tennessee. “I could only see only 2 or 3 feet down, so it was ideal.”

Fox said he caught a couple keeper bass early in the day on a shad-colored Heddon Zara Spook but had to switch baits around 8:45 a.m.

“I concentrated on four different spots towards the northern end of the lake,” said Fox. “I’d go over them with a green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Brush Hog and if I didn’t get a bite I’d go back over it with a jig rigged with a green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Super Chunk.

“I could get in closer with the jig and the Brush Hog,” Fox continued. “I’d just hop it around a little down there and soon I’d feel the bite. They ended up producing some nice fish.”

Fox said he caught approximately 10 keepers during the tournament.

“I’m old fashioned in the fact that I’ve fished the same baits for over 30 years,” Fox said.

The top 10 boaters:

1^st:          Dwight Fox, Gainesboro, Tenn., four bass, 16-2, $4,463

2^nd:         Jonathan Green, East Bernstadt, Ky., five bass, 15-8, $2,232

3^rd:          Michael Morrison, Georgetown, Ky., five bass, 15-3, $1,489

4^th:          Bill Smith, Jr., Burlington, Ky., five bass, 15-2, $1,041

5^th:          Keith Monson, Burgin, Ky., five bass, 13-15, $893

6^th:          William Campbell, Middlesboro, Ky., four bass, 13-3, $818

7^th:          Craig Powers, Harriman, Tenn., five bass, 13-0, $744

8^th:          Doyle Epperson, Nancy, Ky., four bass, 12-11, $669

9^th:          Tyler Prewitt, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 12-10, $595

10^th:        Densmore Goodson, Letcher, Ky., five bass, 12-9, $521              

Complete results can be found here.  

Garry Collins of Russell Springs, Kentucky, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $640.

Helton wins co-angler division

Tracy Helton of London, Kentucky, weighed in five bass totaling 11 pounds, 3 ounces Saturday to win $2,232 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers:

1^st:          Tracy Helton, London, Ky., five bass, 11-3, $2,232

2^nd:         Autry Hensley, Scottsville, Ky., five bass, 10-11, $1,116

3^rd:          Ed Bennington, Scottsville, Ky., five bass, 9-14, $743

4^th:          Jordan Pyles, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 9-11, $521

5^th:          Joshua Mounce, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 9-3, $446

6^th:          Darrell Dowell, Burnside, Ky., four bass, 8-15, $409

7^th:          Travis Parrott, Byrdstown, Tenn., three bass, 8-8, $372

8^th:          Mike Frye, Stanford, Ky., four bass, 8-2, $335

9^th:          Allen Neal, Whitley City, Ky., three bass, 8-1, $298

10^th:        Billy Gardner, Livingston, Tenn., four bass, 8-0, $247

Chevy King of Jamestown, Kentucky, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $320.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. 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.