Tennessee angler goes to limit
Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006
RUSSELLVILLE — Dianna Clark looked like she was on her way Thursday to a repeat performance at the Mercury Marine Women’s Bassmaster Tour tournament on Lake Dardanelle.
Clark, of Bumpus Mills, Tenn., leads the event after weighing in 14 pounds, 5 ounces of bass on the first day. She was the only angler to bring a five-fish limit to the scales.
Kelley Shepherd of Cortez, Colo., is second with 12-3, followed by Lucy Mize of Ben Lomond at 10-8 and Rose Ellis of Birmingham, Ala. at 10-3. Emily Shaffer of Mount Juliet, Tenn., is fifth with 9-11, while Linda Walker of Beebe and Paula Alexander of Lincolnton, Ga., are tied for sixth with 8-6 Clark won the WBT event on Texas’ Lewisville Lake in May, but she said she began Thursday just hoping to catch a keeper after struggling in practice on Lake Dardanelle.
“Then, once I started catching keeper fish, I knew I could go for a win,” Clark said.
Clark is trying to earn one of 12 pro berths into the Women’s Bassmaster Tour Championship, which will be held Feb. 22-25, 2007, on Lake Mitchell in Alabama. Currently in fifth place in the championship-qualifying points race, she would likely clinch an entry with a victory this weekend on Dardanelle.
“Getting to the championship, that’s what I’m shooting for,” she said. “Winning it, wow, I’d love to win it.” In the co-angler division, Robertina Filburn of Vine Grove, Ky., took the lead with a three-fish limit that weighed 6-12. She was the only co-angler to bring in a three-fish limit Thursday..
Laura Elkins of Amarillo, Texas, is second among co-anglers with a one-fish limit of 5-13. The fish earned her a $ 500 bonus as the largest bass of the day.
Sharon Rushton of Kimberling City, Mo., is third at 5-9. Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Bobbie Barfield of Bainbridge, Ga., with 5-4 and Elizabeth Sanders of Brandon, Miss., with 4-15.
The field will be cut to the top six anglers and co-anglers after today’s second round. Weights of the first two days carry over to Saturday.
WBT Anglers will weigh-in at 3: 15 p.m. at the Statehouse Convention Center, site of the Day 3 weigh-in for the Bassmaster Legends tournament, a four-day Bassmaster Major event being held on the Arkansas River. It concludes Sunday. WOMEN’S BASSMASTER TOUR DAY 1 RESULTS BOATER STANDINGS ANGLER, HOMETOWN WT. 1. Dianna Clark, Bumpus Mills, Tenn............. 14-5 2. Kelley Shepherd, Cortez, Colo.................... 12-3 3. Lucy Mize, Ben Lomond................... 10-8 4. Rose Ellis, Birmingham, Ala....................... 10-3 5. Emily Shaffer, Mt Juliet, Tenn..................... 9-11 6. Linda Walker, Beebe......................... 8-6 6. Paula Alexander, Lincolnton, Ga................... 8-6 8. Kimberlee Striker, Cullman, Ala.................... 7-8 9. Angie Douthit, Clewiston, Fla....................... 6-7 10. Laura Gober, Pendergrass, Ga................... 6-2 ARKANSANS 13. Deanie Tate, Arkadelphia.......................... 5-10 14. Jan Hudson, Harrison................................ 5-7 17. Tammie Muse, North Little Rock............... 5-2 23. Tammy Richardson, Amity....................... 3-11 37. Joan Craig, London.................................... 2-1 43. Penny Berryman, Hot Springs................. 1-14 47. Robinette Fox, Hot Springs........................ 1-8 50. Donna Newberry, Van Buren.................... 0-10 51. Kristy Darby, Mt Ida.................................... 0-0 51. Marsha Gipson, Bigelow............................ 0-0 51. Jan Heavener, Sherwood............................ 0-0 51. Danalee Lofton, Little Rock........................ 0-0 51. Rhonda Usery, Cabot................................. 0-0 NON-BOATER ANGLER, HOMETOWN WT. 1. Robertina Filburn, Vine Grove, Ky.............. 6-12 2. Laura Elkins, Amarillo, Texas..................... 5-13 3. Sharon Rushton, Kimberling City, Mo......... 5-9 4. Bobbie Barfield, Bainbridge, Ga................... 5-4 5. Elizabeth Sanders, Brandon, Miss............. 4-15 6. Sherry Melton, Monterey, Tenn.................. 4-11 7. Pam Ridgle, Brownsboro, Texas.................. 4-8 8. Cathy Smith, Pineville, La........................... 3-13 9. Ronda Kirby, Indianapolis, Ind................... 3-11 10. Diane Smith, Fayetteville, Ga...................... 3-7 ARKANSANS 14. Tammie Ply, Harrison................................. 2-9 15. Donna Gilzow, Bella Vista........................... 2-3 19. Shelia Wood, Russellville........................... 2-1 27. Lesa Brown, Harrison................................. 0-0 27. Bertha Cavakis, Amity................................. 0-0 27. Beverly Dickson, Little Rock....................... 0-0 27. Dianna Fanning, Rogers............................. 0-0 27. Jacqueline Helton, Russellville................... 0-0 27. Vicki Henderson, Ashdown........................ 0-0 27. Mary James, Russellville............................ 0-0 27. Dianne Kegley, Norphlet............................. 0-0 92. Christena Baugh, Benton...................... - (1 ) -0
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