Abu Garcia pro Jeremy Starks edged Kevin VanDam for his first BASS title at the Southern Challenge on the 2008 BASS Elite Series trail. The Abu Garcia pro cashed a $100,000 check with his winning bag of 78-Pounds, 10-ounces. Starks battled food poisoning on Thursday and some butterflies to capture the victory on Wheeler Lake, Ala.

“You can't imagine what I felt like up there in that boat, getting ready to weigh in,” Starks said. "I knew it was going to come down to ounces and I was that nervous. I stuck with my spots on Thursday despite a slight case of food poisoning. That proved to be a good decision because the fish started to hit and I was there to capitalize.”

Throughout the tournament, Sparks caught every fish he weighed using the Abu Garcia Revo. His magic spot was described as an "old submerged creek feeding a main channel that had subtle bends in it".

In addition to the Abu Garcia Revo reels, Starks also used Berkley PowerBait Power Worms exclusively, Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon as well as Spiderwire Ultracast for his topwater presentation.

Starks was not the only Abu Garcia pro making a run for the Southern Challenge trophy, Abu Garcia Pro John Murray finished fourth while using the Abu Garcia Revo reel.

The next Elite Series event is set for June 12-15 on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Ky.

Photo courtesy of ESPN/BASS