Augusta-area bass fishermen did themselves proud Friday afternoon, with three gaining places in today's Pro Division top 10 finals in the Walmart FLW Eastern Series Bass Tournament out of Wildwood Park on Thurmond Lake.
Craig Johnson, of Martinez, paced fourth with a three-day total of 31 pounds. Keith Hutto, of Evans, was fifth with 30 pounds, 9 ounces, and Keith Williamson, of Lincolnton, Ga., was seventh with 30 pounds, 2 ounces. Heading the top 10 was longtime professional bass fisherman Tom Mann Jr., of Buford, Ga., with 36 pounds, 9 ounces.
The others are Chris Martinkovic, of Liberty Township, Ohio, 34-6; Matthew Wilbanks, Gainesville, Ga., 32-9; Vic Vatalaro, Kent, Ohio, 30-3; O.T. Fears III, Sallisaw, Okla., 30-0; Chad Brauer, Osage Beach, Mo., 29-15, and Trad Whaley, Abbeville, S.C., 29-5.
Five other area anglers competing in the Pro Division placed in the money. They were Chris Heath, of North Augusta; Woody Parks, Lincolnton, Ga.; Jason Williamson, Aiken; Tony Postell, Appling, and Bobby Wayne Gaston, Evans.
Those in the top 10 will vie for the nearly $100,000 first-place payout. A Family Fun Zone for children in which all the events are free will start at noon today at the Walmart Super Store in Evans, where the drive-in weigh-in will follow at 4 p.m.
North Augusta's Bart Blackburn, leading the Co-Angler Division going onto Friday's event, wound up fourth with a three-day total of 18 pounds, 15 ounces, and won $4,724. The winner was Alan Hults, of Gauthier, Miss., with 24 pounds, 1 ounces. He won nearly $24,000.
Christopher Gould, of Grovetown; Doug Wooldridge, of Williston, S.C.; and Greg Davis, of Evans, also finished in the Co-Angler money.
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