
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 8, 1993                   TAG: 9305080043
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOORS EDITOR
DATELINE: SOUTH HILL                                LENGTH: Medium

A BIG BASS DAY FOR WOO DAVES

The Kerr Lake bass weren't doing much eating for Woo Daves, so Thursday evening Virginia's most popular professional fisherman went to his mom's house for a feast of his own: barbecued chicken, butter beans, venison, corn and pecan pie.

It was just the tonic he needed.

Daves leaped from 96th to 28th place Friday in the Virginia B.A.S.S. Invitational with a five-fish limit that weighed 18 pounds, 2 ounce, the biggest catch of the day.

That earned him a berth in the prestigious BASS Masters Classic. It was the seventh time he made the Classic on the final day of the season's last qualifying event.

Daves' charge overshadowed the fact that the tournament was won by Missouri angler Denny Brauer, who weighed a three-day total of 48 pounds, 4 ounces.

Second was Mickey Bruce of Buford, Ga., who had 44-pounds, 6 ounces.

Daves' total of 34 pounds, 6 ounces was the best catch of the tournament's 21 Virginia anglers. Two-ounces behind was Jimmy Coleman of Amherst. Kerr Lake's high, discolored water gave Virginia fishermen trouble, Daves said, because their favorite spots were covered.

"Before the tournament started, I figured Denny Brauer or [Tom] Biffle would win," he said. "They would go up the river and find something new that others wouldn't fish because of the water level."

While many of the fishermen who call Kerr home were casting spinnerbaits, Brauer selected a green and pumpkin-colored plastic lizard.

"The bass seemed to prefer that color and I just stuck with it the whole tournament."

It was Brauer's sixth B.A.S.S. tournament win, and it earned him $35,000. TOP 10

1. Denny Brauer, Camdenton, Mo., 15-fish total, 48 pounds, 4 ounces; 2. Mickey Bruce, Buford, Ga., 14, 44-6; 3. James D. Noell, Bowie, Md., 14, 43-11; 4. Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 15, 42-9; 5. Randy Dearman, Onalaska, Texas, 15, 42-1; 6. Jay Yelas, Jasper, Texas, 14, 41-11; 7. Tim Reneau, Seguin, Texas, 13, 40-14; 8. Jerry Williams, Conway, Ark., 13, 40-13; 8. Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas, 13, 40-13; 10. Jim Bitter, Fruitland, Park., Fla., 15, 40-3.

VIRGINIANS OF INTEREST

28. Woo Daves, Spring Grove, 34-6; 31. Jimmy Coleman, Amherst, 34-4; 89. Jim Sumrell, Virginia Beach, 26-5; 110. Rick Morris, Virginia Beach, 23-1; 113. James Dudley, Lynchburg, 22-15; 119. Chris Daves, Spring Grove, 22-3; 149. Phil Parker, Suffolk, 19-2; 161. Jerry Elder, Lynchburg, 18-4; 244. Jack Evans, Vinon, 10-2; 256. Melvin Morgan Jr., Vinton, 9-2.

by CNB