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Walmart Bass Fishing League
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2009
Walmart BFL Swarms High Rock
June 27, 2009
The shores around Tamarac Marina on High Rock Lake were about as stuffed with fishing boats as it could be, Saturday, June 27th, as 127 craft in the NC Division of the Walmart Bass Fishing League showed up for the fourth of five regular-season events. As the 3 PM weigh-in time approached, even the usual heavy flow of recreational traffic was outnumbered by the swarm of anglers pulling up to the shores. And no wonder... the $8 million national series event is one of the biggest in the state each season.
There are two categories of competition in the event. In BFL competition, boaters supply the boat and compete from the front deck against other boaters. Co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers. Today's competition paid the best in both nearly $7,000, with a slew of incentive bonuses on the line.
Boater Spence Brunson of Salisbury walked away with top honors of the day, besting his nearest competitor by almost two pounds of bass. Forty eight of the anglers in the field managed a limit of five fish on a lake that gave up bass begrudgingly that day. Brunson's effort of 22 .01 pounds was superb, according to most anglers. His boat partner, Orlando Giles, sung his praise after the event. “The guy really knows how to fish,” stated Giles. “I couldn't believe it when he hauled that first lunker into the boat.” Brunson's earnings for his work totaled $4,426 on the day, as he moved to 95th position in the rankings.
In the co-angler competition, Rick Bradford of Hoffman bested the eight other co-angler limits brought in to capture the $2,214 in prizes. His 15.05 weight would have placed him in the top ten of the boater category as well. The angler is director of the Tri-Citry Bassmasters of Rockingham. “This is a real thrill,” stated Bradford after he walked from the stage area. “It was real tough out there today... probably as rough as it gets here on High Rock. I don't know. I just managed to find them. It was my day.” Bradford's efforts on the lake were not over, as his own club returned to the same waters the very next morning for a scheduled club event. “I think I can say I've pre-fished for that,” Bradford beamed.
If the winner was a participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, he or she received a $2,000 bonus from Ranger Boats. If the winner was not a Ranger Cup participant, Ranger will award $1,000 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant. That’s a potential top award of $8,000 for anglers who meet contingency guidelines. Bombardier awards $1,000 to the winning boater if the winner’s boat is equipped with a qualifying Evinrude E-TEC or Direct Injection outboard. Big Bass awards of up to $1,000 and $500, respectively, were awarded in the Boater and Co-angler divisions.
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers in each of the BFL’s 28 divisions at the end of the season advance to a no-entry-fee Regional Championship where boaters fish for a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck and co-anglers fish for a new Ranger boat. Seven regional championships will each send six boaters and six co-anglers to the no-entry-fee Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy, which features a $1 million purse and a top award of $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in the Co-angler Division. Anglers who compete in all five regular-season events within a division but do not advance to a Regional Championship are eligible to compete in the Chevy Wild Card, which will also send six boaters and six co-anglers to the All-American for a total of 48 boaters and 48 co-anglers advancing through BFL competition.
The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American will advance to the no-entry-fee $2.5 million Forrest Wood Cup in Atlanta in 2010. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the most lucrative tournament in all of competitive bass fishing. In all, the BFL offers weekend anglers the opportunity to qualify for three no-entry-fee championships with total cash awards exceeding $3.5 million. Plus, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers from each BFL division may move up to the Stren Series for 2010 while All-American champions have the option to advance directly to the Walmart FLW Tour.
The final regular-season North Carolina Division tournament, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held on Lake Norman in Blythe Landing, N.C., Sept. 26-27.
Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers in the North Carolina Division will advance to the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Martinez, Ga., Oct. 15-17 and will compete against anglers from the Choo Choo, Gator and Music City divisions for an All-American berth.
As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series and ultimately the FLW Tour – bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament circuit.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. FLW Outdoors also is taking fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports, $10 million in cash and prizes. Sign up for Player’s Advantage for only $10 to get your edge and win.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player's Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.
Lehew Outfishes BFL Field On Lake Norman:
Wilson wins in Co-angler Division
Reprinted with Permission of FLW Outdoors – FLW Walmart NC BFL
September 27, 2009
BLYTHE LANDING, N.C. — Shane Lehew of Charlotte, N.C., won the Walmart Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division two-day Super Tournament on Lake Norman Sunday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces. The victory earned Lehew $5,270 and solidified his ticket to the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Appling, Ga., Oct. 15-17, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
“This feels really good,” Lehew said. “Especially being 20 years old … it feels really good.”
Lehew said he targeted sea walls and rock banks in the mornings with a buzzbait and a Rebel Pop-R and then fished as many docks as he could the rest of the day.
“I probably ran to 40 spots each day,” Lehew said. “I was fishing the first day and hit all my best stuff and pounded it pretty hard, and I wasn’t sure if I had left enough for the last day.”
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jeff Hager of Alexis, N.C. (10 bass, 21-4, $2,635); Todd Walters of Greensboro, N.C. (10 bass, 20-8, $1,758); Maurice Freeze of Concord, N.C. (10 bass, 19-14, $1,230); and Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C. (10 bass, 19-9, $1,054).
Maurice Parent of Taylorsville, N.C., took home the Boater Division Folgers Big Bass award, earning $675 for a 4-pound, 9-ounce bass he caught on a crankbait.
John Wilson of Hazelwood, N.C., earned $2,635 as the co-angler winner Sunday thanks to a two-day catch of eight bass weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces that he caught fishing docks with a creature bait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Travis Ruff of Connelly Springs, N.C. (eight bass, 13-4, $1,317); Scott Stallings of Kannapolis, N.C. (seven bass, 12-8, $880); Gus Jones of Bostic, N.C. (six bass, 12-6, $615); and Mike Williams of Lancaster, Ky. (seven bass, 12-4, $527).
Michael Miller of High Point, N.C., earned $337 as the co-angler Folgers Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 14-ounce bass.
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers in each of the BFL’s 28 divisions at the end of the season advance to a no-entry-fee Regional Championship where boaters fish for a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck and co-anglers fish for a new Ranger boat. Seven regional championships will each send six boaters and six co-anglers to the no-entry-fee Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy, which features a $1 million purse and a top award of $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in the Co-angler Division. Anglers who compete in all five regular-season events within a division but do not advance to a Regional Championship are eligible to compete in the Chevy Wild Card, which will also send six boaters and six co-anglers to the All-American for a total of 48 boaters and 48 co-anglers advancing through BFL competition.
The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American will advance to the no-entry-fee Forrest Wood Cup in Atlanta in 2010. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the most lucrative tournament in all of competitive bass fishing. In all, the BFL offers weekend anglers the opportunity to qualify for three no-entry-fee championships with total cash awards exceeding $3.5 million. Plus, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers from each BFL division may move up to the Stren Series for 2010 while All-American champions have the option to advance directly to the Walmart FLW Tour.
In BFL competition, boaters supply the boat and compete from the front deck against other boaters. Co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.
As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series and ultimately the FLW Tour – bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament circuit.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. FLW Outdoors also has taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports. Sign up for Player’s Advantage to get your edge and win.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.
Reprinted with Permission of FLW Outdoors – FLW Walmart NC BFL
Lake Norman Hosting Three-Day Walmart BFL Regional
October 22 – 24, 2009
Regular schedules for clubs affiliated with the Bass Fishing League are long over and state and regional events have geared up over the past two months. Lake Norman will be the site of the next All-American qualifier as four divisions of the Walmart BFL visit the lake October 22 through 24 for three days of competition fishing.
The $8 million League's Volunteer, South Carolina, Savannah River and Mountain Divisions will compete for qualifying spots in the All American event. Winners there will move on to the Forrest Wood Cup to be held in Atlanta in 2010. This regional event will be staged at the Blythe Landing off Highway 73 in Huntersville.
Boaters and Co-Anglers will compete for other awards, including a Ranger 198VX outfitted with either a 200 hp Evinrude or Yamaha motor, and a Chevrolet 1500 Silverado. Only twelve competitors will move on, six boaters and six co-anglers.
Fishing will begin each day at 7:30 AM and will end at 3:30 PM. The first two weigh ins will happen at Blythe Landing, while the final day's event will weigh in at the local Walmart at 4 PM. Registrations can be done online at FLWOutdoors.com or by calling 270-252-1000. Anglers can also pre-register October 21st at Central Piedmont Community College in Huntersville from 4 to 6 PM.
Information courtesy of FLWOutdoors.com at http://bfl.flwoutdoors.com/article.cfm?id=150457
Langston Wins Lake Norman WalMart BFL Event
October 22,23,24, 2009
Information & Photo Courtesy of FLW Outdoors
Lake Norman's Blythe Landing was a buzz of activity last week as four Divisions of the WalMart Bass Fishing League hit the lake for three days of competition. One Hundred fifty one boat teams competed for the chance to move on to the All American event and eventually the Forrest Wood Cup to be held in Atlanta in 2010. For Lyn Langston, the three days turned out to be a good investment, as the Timmonsville, SC native wrestled a three-day total of 30-01 pounds of prize winning bass to the scales.
Boaters and Co-Anglers in the $8 million League competed for awards, including a Ranger 198VX outfitted with either a 200 hp Evinrude or Yamaha motor, and a Chevrolet 1500 Silverado. Only twelve competitors moved on, six Boaters and six Co-Anglers. Divisions competing included the BFL's Mountain, Savannah River, Volunteer, and South Carolina groups. Seven regional competitions will send six boaters and six co-anglers on to the next round of competition.
Things didn't look good for Boater Langston after day one as he only managed a six pound eleven ounce bag and was a good six pounds off the pace. Brent Long of Cornelius, NC lead after day one with 13-06. That was to be Long's best day as totals shrunk for the angler over the next two days. When Long brought only 5-03 in the final day, Langston's 11-06 vaulted him into the lead. The keys to the new Chevy truck and Ranger boat went home to Timmonsville. Overall, catch weights declined over the three-day period.
On the Co-Angler side of the house, George Hirapetian of Charlotte, NC held off all others for 21-12 pound finish, more than a pound and a half more than his closest competitor. His prize was a new Ranger boat. Thomas Vickers of Lincolnton, NC placed second with 20-01 pounds and earned $1,500.
A complete list of finishing positions can be found at FLW Outdoors at http://www.flwoutdoors.com/bassfishing.