Cordele, Georgia – December 9, 2023 – Derreck Burnam clinched the American Bass Anglers Tour Division 74 tournament victory. The tournament was held at Lake Blackshear, with the launch point at Veterans State Park in Cordele, GA. Burnam reeled in five largemouth bass, boasting a cumulative weight of 13.13 pounds. For his performance, Burnam received a prize of $406.
Burnam attributed his win primarily to his use of crankbaits, capitalizing on the favorable temperature fluctuations of the recent days. He commended the seasonally appropriate weather conditions for contributing to his success.
George Haynie, coincidentally celebrating a birthday, secured second place by netting five fish with a total weight of 9.71 pounds, earning him a prize of $200.
Paul Anthony secured the third position with a catch of three fish, collectively weighing 8.43 pounds. Anthony shared that he employed a combination of plastics and crankbaits in offshore fishing. His impressive performance earned him a prize of $79.
Brett Mathis laid claim to the Big Fish Pot with his remarkable lunker weighing 5.78 pounds, earning him a prize of $140. Mathis extended his gratitude to all those who supported the event.
Top Ten Finishers:
| wdt_ID | PL | Angler | Fish | BB | Total | Pnts | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Derreck Burnam | 5 | 13.13 | 194 | 406 | |
| 2 | 2 | George L. Haynie | 5 | 9.71 | 193 | 200 | |
| 3 | 3 | Paul Anthony | 3 | 3.75 | 8.43 | 192 | 79 |
| 4 | 4 | Harry A. Cooper | 3 | 3.15 | 7.44 | 191 | |
| 5 | 5 | Brandon S. Classon | 3 | 7.40 | 190 | ||
| 6 | 6 | Brad R. Larson | 4 | 7.29 | 189 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Steve A. Phillips | 3 | 6.79 | 188 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Brett J. Mathis | 1 | 5.78 | 5.78 | 187 | |
| 9 | 9 | John K. Wilcox | 1 | 3.53 | 3.53 | 186 | |
| 10 | 10 | Dwayne D. Smith | 1 | 2.38 | 2.38 | 185 |
The upcoming tournament in this division is scheduled for January 27, 2024, on Lake Blackshear, launching from the Gum Creek Ramp.
For additional information regarding this event or the division, please contact the local director, Henry Starks, at 478-808-9701 or visit the American Bass Anglers website at www.americanbassanglers.com.
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
