Hays finishes fourth in Bass Fishing League All-american Championship

DANDRIDGE, Tenn. — Hot Springs’ Melinda Hays finished in fourth place in the co-angler division of the 38th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-american Championship for a $5,000 payday and advances to the Toyota Series Championship on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee.

Hays, who led the Strike King co-angler division entering Saturday’s final round landed four bass for 6 pounds, 8 ounces for a total of 14 bass over the three-day tournament at 30-6. Daniel Buswell Jr., who trailed Hays by 8 ounces Friday, finished Saturday with five bass at 10 pounds, 12 ounces for a three-day bag of 15 bass and 34-2 to take the $50,000 prize.

Buswell became the first co-angler to ever win the All-american Championship twice, having previously won the title in 2013 on Nickajack Lake in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

In the boaters division, Brant Grimm, of Church Hill, Tennessee, won the tournament in his first appearance. His final bag of five bass weighed 14 pounds, 4 ounces for a three-day total of 15 bass tipping the scales at 46-9, a $100,000 prize and a spot in the Toyota Series Championship Oct. 28-30.

The top 10 boaters on Douglas Lake finished:

1. Brant Grimm, Church Hill, Tenn., 15 bass, 46-9, $100,000

2. Leslie Brandenburg, Springfield, Mo., 15 bass, 44-10, $20,000

3. Cody Hoyle, Rutherfordton, N.C., 15 bass, 43-6, $15,000

4. Blake Tomlin, Greenville, Ga., 15 bass, 40-8, $14,000

5. Chris Baldwin, Lexington, N.C., 15 bass, 40-1, $13,000

6. Chris Nelson, Social Circle, Ga., 15 bass, 39-15, $12,000

7. Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 15 bass, 39-11, $11,000

8. Harmon Davis, Marlow, Okla., 15 bass, 38-14, $10,000

9. Dale Pelfrey, Rockwood, Tenn., 15 bass, 37-10, $9,700

10. Austin Culbertson, Moberly, Mo., 15 bass, 35-13, $8,000 Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 121 pounds, 10 ounces, caught by the final 10 boaters Saturday, with all bringing a five-bass limit to the scales.

The final 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1. Daniel Buswell Jr., Fayetteville, Ga., 15 bass, 34-2, $50,000

2. Rod Mackinnon III, Middletown, N.Y., 14 bass, 31-3, $10,000

3. Rex Henry, Knoxville, Tenn., 12 bass, 30-7, $6,000

4. Melinda Hays, Hot Springs, 14 bass, 30-6, $5,000

5. James Jarvis, West Frankfort, Ill., 15 bass, 29-4, $4,700

6. Chase Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 15 bass, 29-2, $4,000

7. Andrew Starnes, Chapin, S.C., 15 bass, 28-15, $3,500

8. Dustin Elrod, Jasper, Ga.., 14 bass, 26-9, $3,000

9. Travis Garrett, Little Rock, 13 bass, 25-14, $2,500

10. Ken Coats, Greenup, Ill., 13 bass, 24-14, $2,000

Overall, there were 46 bass weighing 76 pounds, 1 ounce, caught by the final 10 Strike King co-anglers Saturday, including five five-bass limits.