James Blankenship of Lexington won the first-place prize of $5,000 at the Feb. 9 Bassmaster Weekend Series North Carolina Division event at Lake Norman with a five-fish tournament limit weighing 13.09 pounds.
Blankenship’s catch was anchored with a 4.17-pound bass, one of only three bass over 4 pounds caught by competitors in the Boater and Co-angler divisions.
The Lexington angler took his fish with a Terminator jig.
“I never practiced for the tournament,” Blankenship said. “I just went fishing and tried places I had fished before at Norman.”
Greensboro’s Ramon Stockham placed second with 12.45 pounds and won $1,373.
Local favorite Hank Cherry of Maiden ranked third with 12.04 pounds and received $915.
Other scores were Randy Childers of Anderson, S.C., fourth, with 11.52 pounds for $641; Rusty White Jr. of Rock Hill, S.C., fifth, with 11.26 pounds for $549; Robert Morrison Jr. of Winston-Salem, sixth, with 11.12 pounds for $503; Roger Pope of Statesville, seventh, with 10.15 pounds for $459; Doug Young of Salisbury, eighth, with 9.98 pounds for $412; and Wayne Hauser of Mooresville, ninth, with 9.86 pounds for $366.
Morrison took big-fish honors with a 4.31-pound bass that paid $315.
The average catch for the 63-man field was 5.88 pounds, and the fishermen averaged three fish each. The average fish weighed only 1.78 pounds.
Charles Culley of Hiddenite won the Co-angler Division with 8.13 pounds, edging James Metcalf of Cameron who had 8.12 pounds. Culley received $1,279, and Metcalf banked $640 plus $143 for the co-angler big fish, a hefty 5.11-pound spotted bass.
Dan Moore of Monroe placed third with 6.60 pounds and earned $298 while Larry Halsey of Pfafftown ranked fifth with 6.32 pounds and collected $256.
Chad Silver of Leicester placed fourth among the co-anglers at the Feb. 2 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Savannah Division tournament at Lake Keowee, Seneca. S.C.
His catch of 9-14 paid $619.
BASS TOURNAMENTS
New Piedmont Team Tournament
Badin Lake, Jan. 27
1. Dale Hege and Wayne Lawson, both of Ramseur, 18.01, $415; 2. Scott Threadgill of Troy and Dwayne Saunders of Star, 16.89, $239; 3. Eric Moser of Salisbury and Bennett Pridgen of Trinity, 13.37, $110; 4. Chad Cook and Brandon Shaver, both of Albemarle, 10.51, $90.
Big fish: Threadgill and Saunders with a 5.78-pound bass worth $91.
Badin Lake Feb. 10
1. Dwayne Saunders of Star and Scott Threadgill of Troy, 24.56, $415; 2. Brandon Shaver and Chad Cook, both of Albemarle, 18.77, $239; 3. Bennett Pridgen of Trinity and Eric Moser of Salisbury, 18.21, $110; 4. Scott Pope of Winston-Salem and Ray Shelton of High Point, 13.93, $90.
Big fish: Saunders and Threadgill with a 7.09-pound bass worth $91.
National Bass Circuit
Winter Yadkin Sport Series
Badin Lake, Jan. 26
1. Jason Threadgill and Adam Hurley, 22.80, $675; 2. Eric Moser of Salisbury and George Lambeth of Thomasville, 18.78, $400; 3. Tod Haynes of Concord and Dean Talbert, 16.08, $260; 4. Bennett Pridgen of Trinity and Lane Haynes of High Point, 16.07, and big fish with a 6.10-pound bass, $345.
Norman Winter Sport Series Championship
Lake Norman, Feb. 16
1. Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., and Louie Hull of Casar, 15.18, $1,000; 2. Jerry Goble of Sherrills Ford and Rob Digh, 12.06, $500; 3. James Dyer of Shelby and Jody Wright of Ellenboro, 11.88, $300; 4. Marty Sweeting and Roger Day, 11.29, $200.
Big fish: Steve McLeod and Robert Morrison with a 4.38-pound bass worth $200.
Winter Norman
Team Bass Championship Trail Lake Norman, Jan. 27
1. Kevin Toler and Rodney Lambert, both of Statesville, 14.05, $990; 2. Jerry Goble of Sherrills Ford and Jim Witherspoon of Claremont, 12.20, $460; 3. Jeff O’ Conner and Jim Spencer, 12.00, $240; 4. Chris Kassum of Granite Falls and Donald Stanley of Newton, 11.55, $160; 5. Nathan White of Shelby and T.J. Harris of Charlotte, 11.35, $150; Grant McPeters and Donnie Woody, both of Marion, 10.40, $120; 7. Brian Travis and Ashley Brotherton, 9.40, $85; 8. James Dyer of Shelby and David Fortenberry of Lawndale, 8.95, $75.
Big fish: John Allen with a 4.05-pound bass worth $570.
Norman Winter Team Bass Championship
Lake Norman, Feb. 9-10
1. Grant McPeters and Donnie Woody, both of Marion, 12.35, $3,500; 2. Jody Wright of Ellenboro and Lester Elton, 11.95, $1,500; 3. Steve Addington and Shane Hawkins, both of Dallas, 11.80, $800; 4. James Dyer of Shelby and David Fortenberry of Lawndale, 11.75, $395; 5. Randy Tatu and Charles Bower Jr., 11.50, $340; 6. Dave Snyder of Concord and Bryan O’ Daniel of Kannapolis, 11.45, $310; 7. Jerry Goble of Sherrills Ford and Jim Witherspoon of Claremont, 11.25, $285; 8. Chris Curtis of Concord and Roy Winkler of Charlotte, 11.05, $255; 9. Kevin Toler and Rodney Lambert, both of Statesville, 10.35, $220;10. Mike Lovelace of Advance and Al March, 10.15, $195; 12. Nathan White of Shelby and Chad Taylor, 9.85, $135.
Big fish for Day 1: Cherry and Michael Smith with a 4.25-pound bass worth $495.
Big fish for Day 2: Shane and Jerry Lineberger with a 3.65-pound bass worth $510.
Piedmont 2-man Team Bass Tournaments
Jordan Lake, Feb. 16
1. Steve Dickerson of Durham and Doug Green of Stem, 20.23, $575; 2. James Phillips of Winterville and Kenneth Phillips of Clayton, 18.20, $305.
Big fish: Dave Fowler and Joey Fullenwaiter, both of Roxboro, with a 6.89-pound bass worth $110.
CRAPPIE TOURNAMENTS
Carolina Crappie Team Tournaments
Badin Lake, Jan. 26
1. Ed Smith of Concord, 7.32, $290; 2. Randy Bowen of Kernersville and Glynn Sharon of Madison, 7.14, $102.
Big fish: Bowen and Sharon with a 2.18-pound crappie worth $45.50.
Badin Lake, Feb. 16
1. Phenice Schumaker and David Perrel, both of Germanton, 7.98, $316; 2. Ed Smith and Gary Kiser, both of Concord, 7.25, $200; 3. Thomas Sprouse of Advance and Steve Gentry of Winston-Salem, 7.05, $100.
Big fish: Smith and Kiser with a 1.65-pound crappie worth $71.50.
Piedmont 2-man Team Crappie Tournaments
Jordan Lake, Feb. 16
1. Rod King and Art Ferrell, both of Durham, 13.48, $235; 2. Paul Childress and Jacob Earp, both of Durham, 11.32, $125.
Big fish: King and Ferrell with a 2.26-pound crappie worth $60.
STRIPED BASS TOURNAMENTS
Tarheel Striper Club
Lake Norman, Feb. 9
1. Jim Karriker of High Point and Jackie Jenkins of Denton, 12.85; 2. Scott and Steve Griffin, 10.80; 3. Chad Brady and Jim Meritt, 9.55; 4. Johnny Young and Janet, 5.45; 5. Bobby and Amy Workman of Burlington, 4.05; 6. Jay Childress and Jonathan Scarce, 3.65.
Big fish: Brady and Meritt with a 6.15-pound striped bass.
CATFISH TOURNAMENTS
N.C. Catfish Team Tournament Series
Lake Tillery, Feb. 9
1. Jeff Cole of Asheboro tied Mike Chandler of Midland, Brian and Hunter Burris, both of New London, with each team weighing in 101.10 and with each team receiving $825; 2. Tracy Setzer and Omar Edwards, both of Claremont, 59.95, $450; 3. Tony Hollar Jr. and Tony Hollar Sr. of Hickory and Randy Reinhardt, 566.75, $300; 4. James and John Davisson, both of Mt. Pleasant, 46.85, $200; 6. Steve Upright of Cleveland and Curtis Winebarger of Statesville, 42.40, $150.
Big fish: The Davissons with a 39.85-pound blue catfish worth $250.
SCHEDULES
Norman Spring Team Bass Championship
(in progress)
Contact: www.fishwithdj.com
Entry fee: $60 per boat
Saturday trail: March 15, 22, 29; April 12, 26; May 10, 17; June 14 for Fish-off.
Sunday trail: Feb. 24; March 2, 16; April 6, 20; May 4, 25; June 15 for Fish-off.
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