Alabama Native Chris Lane Rakes in the Fish and the Money

Alabama native Chris Lane won the 42nd Bassmaster Classic yesterday by pulling in 51 pounds and six ounces over the three-day event.  Lane, who won the $500,000 first place prize, beat out another Alabama native,  Greg Vinson,  by less than three pounds.

The   36-year-old Lane is  from Guntersville, Ala. He nearly doubled his career earnings with the $500,000 first prize.

Vinson, 34, of Wetumpka, Ala.,  weighed in and took the lead, but Lane was last to the scales.

Keith Poche of  Natchitoches, was the leader on day 1.  Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, who was 2008 champion and Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn., rounded out the top five.

44-year-old Kevin VanDam couldn't get that three peat to set a Classics record. The Kalamazoo, Mich., native was trying to win for the third year in a row and become the first five-time champion of the event. http://www.bassmaster.com/