Bates, of Bon Aqua, Tenn., opened the Kentucky Lake event with a bang, landing a 20.08-pound bag on Day One with a 6.44 kicker. He followed the regionalâs largest bag with 12.41 to easily win with 32.49 and take the Triton boat powered by a Mercury outboard with a MotorGuide trolling motor.
The La Vergne, Tenn., angler was three pounds out of first place with 29.62. Eddings was second after Day One with 16.25 and brought in 13.37 to pocket $2,500 from the Oct. 14-15 event.
Brown, of Hixson, Tenn., caught 10 bass weighing 28.58 pounds to finish third. He climbed after Day Oneâs haul of 11.95 with the biggest bag on Day Two at 16.63.
Jayroe, of Royse City, Texas, flipped his way to victory on the Red River out of Shreveport, totaling 21.41 pounds Oct. 14-15. With consistent weights of 10.69 and 10.72, he eked out the win and a Triton boat powered by a Mercury outboard with a MotorGuide trolling motor.
Dean, of Terrell, Texas, fell a half a pound short, totaling 20.90 with bags of 9.60 and 11.30, the dayâs big bag. Flipping hyacinth mats on Day Two, he said he lost four good fish that could have given him the win.
Wiley, of Pineville, La., said he caught all of his 10 fish on two points and one laydown that were fired up when boats locking nearby pulled current. He had bags of 9.79 and 9.50 for a 19.29 total.
JUSTIN L. HAMNER, TENSAW REGIONAL NO. 1
Hamner, of Birmingham, Ala., led wire to wire in winning the Southern Regional championship held Oct. 7-8 on the Mobile-Tensaw river delta out of Mobile, Ala.
Leading with 11.06 pounds on Day One, Hamner followed with 10.32 for a 21.38 total to win the event by .36 of a pound, earning a fully rigged Triton/Mercury package. His big fish weighed 3.52.
CHUCK J. DUFOUR, TENSAW REGIONAL NO. 2
Dufour, of Gonzales, La., caught 9.45 pounds on Day One to stand in fourth but climbed to second with the heaviest bag of the event, 11.57, for 21.02. He took home $2,500.
MICHAEL âKEITHâ K. DEES, TENSAW REGIONAL NO. 3
Dees, of Fruitdale, Ala., was less than a tenth of a pound back in third with 20.94. He had 10.48 on Day One then added 10.46 to earn $1,250.
Brodnicki, of Amherst, N.Y., brought in 10 keepers for a two-day total of 37.68 pounds, anchoring his catch with a 4.66-pounder. He had the eventâs biggest bag at 20.27 on day one despite small craft warnings and 5- to 8-foot waves that made Lake Erie off limits on Day One.
Brodnicki and the rest of the field locked up to the Niagara River to fish Sept. 30. On Oct 1, the winds died but Brodnicki went back to the river to weigh 17.41 and win the Regional and a Triton bass boat package.
Barth, of Bolivar, N.Y., had limits both days and was consistent in the trying conditions. He had 17.90 pounds then 17.25 to finished second with 35.15 pounds. His biggest fish was a 4.45-pounder.
Little, of Kernersville, N.C., finished third with 10 bass going 32.87 pounds, including one 4.20-pounder. After catching 14.53 pounds on Day One, he brought in 18.34 pounds on the final day.
