By Staff
May 11, 2001
John Raines made it 2 in a row for local anglers winning on the Wal-Mart Trail this year. Jimmy Hayes won the last tourney held at Pickwick. This time, at Columbus, it was Raines who caught a limit of bass that weighed 17 pounds 3 ounces to win the $3,848.00 first prize on the boater side of the tournament.
Raines, who also earned $1,000.00 from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, topped Bobby Kilzer of Trenton, Tennessee by 3 pounds, 10 ounces. Raines caught his limit by flipping jigs into grass located in 8 to 9 feet of water.
In addition to the first prize money and Ranger bonus, Raines received $1,000.00 from Garmin for using a fixed mount Garmin sonar, and $520.00 from Operation Bass for landing a 6 pound, 1 ounce bass that was the lunker of the boater division. His total winnings were an impressive $6,368.00 for a day of fishing.
Joey Knight of Meridian placed fourth and earned $834.00 with a limit of bass that weighed in at 11 pounds, 15 ounces. Ricky Smith of Collinsville placed fifth and earned $770.00 with 5 bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces. Finishing just out of the money in 11th place was Chris Stokes with a 10 pound 1 ounce string.
Faring well on the trail
On the co-angler side of the Columbus event, Wesley Wheat of Meridian came in 4th with a limit of bass that weighed 9 pounds 15 ounces. If Wheat had taken the top spot on the co-angler side, it would have marked the second tournament in a row that the top spots in the tourney were swept by Meridian area anglers. Last year the feat was first accomplished by local fishermen Hank Perkins and Jackie Penny.
The success of our local anglers is even more astounding when you take into account that our area has no local waters on the tournament trail. In effect, all of our local fishermen are winning the tourneys on other peoples home waters. Wayman Newell of Toomsuba took 8th place on the Co-angler side.
Divisional Leaders
On the angler side of the tournament trail, there are 5 local anglers listed in the top 16 in the divisional standings. Coming in 3rd is Jimmy Hayes. Ricky Smith currently holds 4th place. Hank Perkins holds 6th place.
Bruce Roberts is in 11th and Joey Knight is currently in 16th place in the all-important divisional standings which will determine who goes to the regional tournament.
Co-angler leaders
Wesley Wheat of Meridian holds first place on the co-angler side of the tournament trail. Wayman Newell is in 6th place, and Ken Murphy is currently in 23rd place.