Edward Gettys of Scottsboro, Ala., and Jett Loach of Rossville, Ga., turned strong final days of fishing Saturday to win the boater and co-angler championships of the three-day Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce sponsored no-entry-fee Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Forrest L. Woods (FLW) Regional Championship Tournament on Lake Seminole.

At Saturday’s final day weigh-in at the Bainbridge Wal-Mart, Gettys, who finished with 61 pounds, 3 ounces, caught 20 pounds, 14 ounces to overtake fellow Alabamian Johnny Patterson from Grant who came to the scales with 6 pounds, 9 ounces.

Patterson was in the lead after Thursday and Friday weigh-ins at the Earle May Boat Basin. Patterson caught 23 pounds, 14 ounces and Gettys caught 20 pounds, 3 ounces on Thursday and Patterson caught 24 pounds, 4 ounces and Gettys caught 20 pounds 2 ounces on Friday.

Going into Saturday’s final day of competition, Patterson was first with 48 pounds 2 ounces and Gettys was second with 40 pounds 5 ounces.

Going into the final day of co-angler competition, Loach, who finished with 30 pounds, 8 ounces, was first with 23 pounds. He caught 5.08 pounds Thursday and 17.08 pounds Friday.

For his boater championship, Gettys, who reported catching his fish flipping deep grass with a watermelon candy colored soft plastic crawfish in Spring Creek, received a fully rigged Ranger 198VX boat and a new Chevrolet truck.

For his co-angler championship, Loach, who reported catching his fish on a frog over matted hydrilla and white Bass Pro Shop worms, won a new Ranger Boat.

Only the top 12 anglers and top 12 co-anglers from the 134 pound field fished on Saturday. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers will compete in the BFL All-American.

Behind Gettys and Patterson in the boater division were Corey Bradley of Chattanooga, Tenn., with 47.19 pounds, Bryan Gregory of Payne, Ala., with 46.8 pounds, Allan Cagle of Deltona, Fla., with 43.6 pounds and Dennis Barnes of Boaz, Ala., with 31.2 pounds.

Behind Loach in the co-angler division were Jade Keaton of Florence, Ala., with 27 pounds, 10 ounces, John Hyatt of Leicester, N.C., with 24 pounds, 7 ounces, Darren Jeter of Marshall, N.C., with 22 pounds, 12 ounces, Raymond Riendeau of Saint Cloud, Fla., with 20 pounds, 6 ounces and Ron Jackups of Fairfield, Ohio with 19 pounds, 13 ounces.

Tournament anglers were from the BFL’s Choo, Choo, Everglades, Savannah River and Piedmont divisions.