Brandon Gray of Bullock cranked his way to the top spot at the Sept. 23-24 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division Super Tournament at Kerr Lake. Gray’s two-day haul of 24 pounds was worth $7,695.
Anthony Fofi of Spring Lake finished second with 20-15 and banked $3,848; Dan Treadway of Rocky Mount ranked third with 19-08 and received $2,565 plus a $500 bonus as the highest-placing Ranger Cup participant.
Jeffrey Emmons of Asheboro won the Boater Division big-bass award of $1,200 with a 5-pound, 5-ounce fish.
Among the co-anglers, Travis Padgett of Wake Forrest placed fourth with 11-12 for $898 , and Jack Markham III of Stem finished fifth with 11-10 for $770.
High Point’s Todd Walters won the Boater Division of the Sept. 10-11 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division Super Tournament at Lake Hickory.
Walters had a two-day catch of 28 pounds, 5 ounces and received $5,197.
The other top boaters were Kevin Helms of Denver, second with 16-15 that paid $2,598; Thomas Anderson of Hickory, third , with 14-04 that paid $1,733; Mark Carpenter of Lincolnton, fourth, with 13-08 that paid $1,213; and Shane Patrick of Fleetwood, fifth, with 13-07 that paid $1,039.
Carpenter earned an additional $500 as the highest-finishing Ranger Cup contestant while Chuck Douthit of Mooresville claimed the big-bass award of $562 in the Boater Division with a 5-pound, 2-ounce fish.
Jason Mulkey of Granite Falls topped the Co-Angler Division with 9-12 and banked $2,599.
Other Co-Angler scores included Charles Stroud of Boiling Springs, second, with 8-04 for $1,299; Jerry Hayden of Charlotte, third, with 7-08 for $867; and Junior Self of Vale, fourth, with 7-05 for $606 plus $326 for a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass, the big fish among the co-anglers.
Four anglers have qualified for the 2007 Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake, Birmingham, Ala., set for Feb. 23-25.
James Niggemeyer of Lindale, Texas; Tom Hamlin of Lizella, Ga.; and Boyd Duckett of Demoplis, Ala., qualified through the Bassmaster Southern Tour while Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss., qualified through the Bassmaster Elite Series.
Linden’s Marty Stone finished 15th with 11-00 and won $11,500 at the Aug. 24-27 Bassmaster Legends Tournament at the Arkansas River, Little Rock, Ark.
Cherryville’s Guy Eaker ranked 18th with 10-03 and earned $11,150.
Kevin Langill of Terrell ranked 34th with 18-05 at the Sept. 7-9 Bassmaster Southern Tour event at Lake Lanier, Ga. He won $1,692.
Two Tar Heels received checks in the Co-Angler Division. They were Wayne Hauser of Winston-Salem, 44th, with 5-06 for $352.60 and R.T. Boone of Morganton, 48th, with 4-10 for $329.
Ryan Coleman of Flowery Beach, Ga., took the top prize of $73,200 with 36-10. It was his first victory at the BASS circuit.
Eaker placed 27th with 19-09 and Britt Myers of Mt. Holly ranked 45th at the Sept. 14-17 The Rock Pro Elite Series event at Table Rock Lake, Kimberling City, Mo. Each received $10,000.
Steve Harwood of Weaverville placed third at the Sept. 16-17 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Savannah Division Super Tournament at Lake Keowee, S.C. His catch of 19-08 was worth $1,882.
John Hyatt of Leicester ranked fifth among the co-anglers with 12-07 and banked $565.
BASS TOURNAMENTS
New Piedmont Team Tournaments
High Rock Lake, Sept. 17
1. David Esmay of High Point and Glenn Jones of Mt. Pleasant, 13.82, $386; 2. Dwight Morgan and Wayne Stokes, of Gold Hill, 12.13, $200; 3. George Lambeth of Thomasville and Eric Moser of Salisbury, 10.00, $85.
Big fish: Moser and Lambeth with a 4.58-pound bass worth $71.50.
2006 Points Champions: Esmay and Jones, $500.
High Rock Team Tournaments
High Rock Lake, Sept. 16
1. Ronnie Smith of China Grove and Mitch Drew of Gold Hill, 18.56, $500; 2. Tony Foster of Lexington and Steve Sink of Winston-Salem, 15.36, $275; 3. Thomas Simmerson and Kenny Seagle, both of Salisbury, 10.29. $160; 4. John Drew of Salisbury and David Horton of Albemarle, 9.29, $102.
Big fish: Smith and M. Drew with a 6.66-pound bass worth $117.
National Bass Circuit Capital Division
Jordan Lake, Sept. 16
1. Jim Witherspoon and Jerry Goble, 12.42, $1,500; 2. Joel Lloyd and Hunter Campbell, 11.53, $800; 3. Scott Smith and Tony Woodward, 11.49, $500; 4. Carlo Peluso and Jeff Hodges, 10.22, $375; 5. Paul and Ryan Rigsbee, 10.10, $300; 6. Steve and Horton Upchurch, 9.22, $250; 7. Garrett Allred and Joe Broome, 8.90, $220; 8. Ken Shepherd and Troy Searcy, 7.01, $200.
Big fish: Allred and Broome with an 8.90-pound bass worth $400.
NC Division Lake Gaston, Aug. 20
1. James Hair and Dale Taylor, 14.03, $800; 2. Vince Edwards and Chris Vaugh, 12.77, $460.
Big fish: Edwards and Vaugh with a 4.39-pound bass worth $120.
Kerr Lake, Sept. 2
1. Wesley Cashwell and Larry Inman of Greensboro, 14.33, $900; 2. Mike Hodges and Tim Wall, 11.31, $500; 3. Mike Watson and Gary Owens , 10.27, $280.
Big fish: James Bullock and Vern Fleming with a 4.45-pound bass worth $160.
Powers Swain Chevy Fishing Team Tourney
Cape Fear River, Aug.19
1. Greg Lahr and Tim Toomey of Fayetteville, 9.13; 2. James Poirrier of Lillington and Wayne Kochlor of Spring Lake, 8.74; 3. James Wade of Fayetteville and Joe Davis of Stedman, 4.70; 4. Clemmon Donaldson and Fish Battle of Sanford, 4.50; 5. Doc MacDonald of Fayetteville and David Betts of Raleigh, 3.98.
Big fish: Poirrier and Kochlor with a 4.29-pound bass.
Buggs Island Team Tournaments Kerr Lake, Sept. 10
1. Dennie Gilbert of Nathalie, Va., and Wesley Harris of Rustburg, Va., and big fish with a 4.46-pound bass, $1,200; 2. Larry Inman of Greensboro and Mark Inman of Haw River, 15.66, $690; 3. Don Sheffey and Don Sheffey Jr. of Concord, Va., 12.88, $220.
CRAPPIE TOURNAMENTS
Southern Crappie Association Lake Wateree, S.C., Sept. 16
1. Brian and Brett Davis of Leesville, S.C., 12.08, and big fish with a 1.99-pound crappie, $1,550; 2. Sam and Marty Kennington of Kershaw, S.C., 12.02, $535; 3. Dennis Morgan of Lesllie, S.C., and Doug Dawley of Rock Hill, S.C., 11.64, $330; 4. Milton Dowey and Joe Cantey of Lugoff, S.C., 11.15, $235; 5. Randy Pope of Hickory and Jerry Pruitt of Vale, 10.93, $205; 6. Mitchell Tallent of Alexis and Sam Beam of Iron Station, 10.88, $175; 7. David Hinson and Josh Snipes of Lancaster, S.C., 10.56, $145; 8. Will Hinson of Cassett, S.C., and Tom Slice of Lexington, S.C., 9.51, $130; 9. Tom Sprouse of Advance and Steve Gentry of Winston-Salem, 9.11, $115; 10. George Cooper of Prosperity, S.C., and Gary Phillips of Leesville, S.C., 8.95, $85.
Carolina Crappie Team Tournaments
Jordan Lake, Sept. 23
1. Tom Sprouse of Advance and Glynn Sharon of Madison,7.20, $224.
Big fish: Randy Bowen of Kernersville and Jimmy Sheets of Winston-Salem with a 2.05-pound crappie worth $40.
STRIPED BASS TOURNAMENTS
Tarheel Striper Club Lake Hickory, Sept. 23
1. Bobby and Amy Workman, 17.65, cash award & trophy; 2. Scott and Michael Arcure, 14.45, cash award; 3. Jay Childress and Mark Beal, 14.10; 4. Jeff Womble of Clemmons and Derek Wilson, 11.10; 5. John Roberson, Steve and Dan McCauley, 7.45, and big fish with a 7.45-pound striped bass; 6. Dave and Debbie Lucas of Randleman, 4.85; 7. Steve, Ralph, and Kristen Stephens, and Amber Bryant, 4.35