ROANOKE TIMES

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

DATE: SUNDAY, May 7, 1995                   TAG: 9505080097
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: E10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short


OPTIMIST TOURNAMENT ENDS TODAY

The Cave Spring Optimist Club fishing tournament on Smith Mountain Lake has upheld the walleye's reputation of being a night feeder.

All four of the fish in the walleye category - including three citations - were landed after dark, said Ike Harris, tournament director.

Bobby Ratliff of Bedford has the lead with a 6.32-pound walleye he hooked with a live lizard on the Roanoke River arm of the lake. He weighed his catch at 6:45 a.m. Saturday.

The tournament continues through noon today with the awards presentation scheduled at Foxsport Marina at 2 p.m. The contest has attracted 728 fishermen, about 50 more than last year, Harris said.

Dale Bishop of Roanoke is leading the smallmouth bass category with a 4.30-pound catch he reported taking on the Roanoke River side of the lake while casting a Thunder Stick. A few ounces behind is Woody Humphreys of Vinton with a 4.20 smallmouth.

Fallon Arthur of Roanoke continues to hold the lead in the crappie category with a 2.30-pound fish he entered 31 minutes after the tournament opened Friday morning. The second place crappie is 2.26-pound citation catch by Samuel Brown of Rocky Mount.

Harold Malcom of Pulaski has the best largemouth, a 6.78-pounder he hooked near the dam on a minnow. The leading catfish is a 16.90-pounder entered by Jimmy Stover of Rocky Mount. No muskie has been entered.



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