RICHMOND, Va. – Robert Hinds Jr. of Prince George, Va., out-fished 172 competitors Saturday to earn $5,412 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Piedmont Division event on the James River.
Hinds caught five largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces during the one-day event to top Chad Poteat of Mount Airy, N.C., who finished with a five-bass catch of 12-9 worth $2,706. Hinds caught his limit, including a 4-pound, 13-ounce largemouth that earned him $860 as the Abu Garcia Big Bass in the Boater Division, fishing wood with a 3-inch, black and blue tube jig.
Carl Maxfield of Bristol, Tenn., took third place and collected $1,353 with five bass weighing 11-14. Frank Poirier of Hopewell, Va., placed fourth and earned $1,173 with five bass weighing 11-12, while Jerry King of Hillsborough, N.C., placed fifth and earned $1,082 with five bass weighing 11-10.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,706 went to Larry Ellis, 39, of Bahama, N.C., who topped 172 competitors with five bass weighing 9-0. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,353 went to Ronnie Currin of Henderson, N.C., with five bass weighing 8-3, while David Powroznik of Hopewell, Va., took third place and $676 with five bass weighing 8-0.
Powell Kemp, a 19-year-old student from New Bern, N.C., and Ray Baskin of Clemmons, N.C., tied for the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $215 each with a 3-pound, 7-ounce bass.
Bo Frazier of Lorton, Va., won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures. He caught five bass weighing 10-15.
The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 30-Oct. 1 on Kerr Lake, will be declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.