Atkins Wins Bass Fishing League Tournament on Smith Mountain Lake

MONETA, Va. (April 20, 2009) - Boogie Atkins of Greenville, Va., won the Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division bass fishing tournament on Smith Mountain Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 9 ounces. The victory earned Atkins $4,541 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Potomac River Regional Championship in Marbury, Md., Oct. 8-10, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
   "By the time I got the boat on the trailer, I hadn't heard anybody's weight until the end," said Atkins. "It usually takes 17 to 19 pounds to win. I thought I'd be in the top 25. It was really a shock."
   Atkins caught his limit fishing for spawning fish on bed around shallow points and boat docks in 15 feet of water throwing a spinnerbait.
   Rounding out the top five boaters are Trevis Towe of Daleville, Va. (5 bass, 14-7, $2,270); Dennis Siggers of Danville, Va. (5 bass, 13-12, $1,514); Bo Grosvenor of Forest, Va. (5 bass, 13-9, $1,060) and Geoffrey Hill of Salem, Va. (5 bass, 13-3, $908).
   Bo Grosvenor took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $660 for a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass he caught.
   Gary Atwell of Mechanicsville, Va., earned $2,270 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to 5 bass weighing 11 pounds, 13 ounces.
   Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Russ Hamilton Jr. of Manassas, Va. (5 bass, 11-12, $1,135); Wayne Mace of Lynchburg, Va. (5 bass, 10-12, $757); Joey Talbott of Forest, Va. (5 bass, 9-7, $530); and Leewood Davis of McGaheysville, Va. (5 bass, 9-3, $454).
   Scott Shifflett of Broadway, Va., earned $330 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 14-ounce bass.
   The next Shenandoah Division event will be held on Smith Mountain Lake in Moneta, Va., May 16.

Atkins Wins Bass Fishing League Tournament on Smith Mountain Lake

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