Mansfield, GA, January 13, 2024 – Aaron Batson emerged as the champion at the American Fishing Tour Division 72 tournament, held on Lake Sinclair. Batson, hailing from Mansfield, GA, clinched the first-place position with a five-bass limit totaling 22.73 pounds. This impressive haul earned him the top trophy and a prize of $738 in cash. A significant contribution to his victory was a notable 9.32-pound bass, securing him an additional $340 and the Big Bass trophy.
Close on his heels was Travis Clay, who achieved second place with a total weight of 16.84 pounds, comprising a 5.23-pound bass. Clay’s performance earned him $464 and the second-place trophy.
James Clements rounded out the top three, securing the third-place trophy and $197 in cash with a total of 16.64 pounds, including a 5.69-pound catch.
Despite challenging conditions, including muddy waters due to recent rains, the tournament saw a strong turnout with 34 anglers competing for a total payout of $1,665 across five places. Notably, Grant Kelly showcased a remarkable 6.30-pound bass, but faced difficulties in adding to his tally under challenging conditions.
The top ten standings were as follows:
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | PL | Angler | Fish | BB | Total | Points | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Aaron E. Batson | 5 | 9.32 | 22.73 | 200 | $738 | ||||
| 2 | 2 | Travis D. Clay | 5 | 5.23 | 16.84 | 199 | $464 | ||||
| 3 | 3 | James H. Clements | 5 | 5.69 | 16.64 | 198 | $197 | ||||
| 4 | 4 | Lance Collins | 5 | 15.66 | 197 | $151 | |||||
| 5 | 5 | David H. Lowery | 5 | 14.18 | 196 | $115 | |||||
| 6 | 6 | Les R. Charles | 3 | 5.91 | 9.20 | 195 | |||||
| 7 | 7 | Steven C. Stancil | 5 | 9.13 | 194 | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | Jerry N. Jones | 4 | 8.30 | 193 | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | David L. Mitchell | 2 | 5.35 | 8.07 | 192 | |||||
| 10 | 10 | Jay N. Carter | 3 | 4.71 | 7.21 | 191 |
The event also featured additional prizes, including three $50 cash draws awarded to Richard Carey, Jay Carter, and Jim Windham. Additionally, James Clements won a $100 gift certificate for a custom wooden American flag.
Special thanks were extended to Bob Clark and Les Charles for their invaluable assistance with morning registration, boat checks, and weigh-in procedures.
The next scheduled tournament in this division is set for January 27, 2024, at Lake Oconee, launching from Sugar Creek Marina. For further inquiries, interested parties are encouraged to contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.
Benny Howell is the current reining King of the Hill, an award presented at the end of each season to the top director of that season.
These anglers earn valuable points toward the divisional angler of the year title. The points champion from each division will compete in the annual American Bass Anglers AFT Angler of The Year Final Round at the AFT Championship. In addition, the top 500 anglers from the various divisions will earn the right to compete in the three-day ABA, AFT National Championship tournament.
American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, T-H Marine, Power Pole, RT Outdoors, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com, and LurePartsOnline.com.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression.
For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Tour, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406
