LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. – Shane Moline, 30, of Kingman, Ariz., outpaced 57 competitors Saturday with five bass weighing 16 pounds to win $2,710 and 200 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Colorado River Division tournament on Lake Havasu.
Moline edged out Dennis Kolender of Henderson, Nev., by 11 ounces in the one-day event that set out from Windsor Park. Kolender finished with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces to win $1,355. One of his fish, a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass, won Kolender an additional $285 as the biggest bass in the division. Moline caught the majority of his bass on jigs while fishing a prespawn pattern in the lake’s main basin.
Danny Locatis of Lake Havasu City took third place and collected $677 with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces. Craig McCoy of Lake Havasu placed fourth and earned $587 with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 11 ounces, while John Murray of Phoenix, Ariz., placed fifth and earned $542 with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,307 went to Ward Reilly, 67, of Bullhead City, Ariz., who topped 55 competitors with five bass weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces. Second place in the division and $654 went to Brent Becker of Henderson, Nev., with three bass weighing 9 pounds, 13 ounces, while Jay Moreau of Pomona, Calif., took third place and $327 with three bass weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces.
Kevin Guadalupe of Las Vegas, Nev., won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $137 with a 3-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Boater Jim Jared of Dolan Springs, Ariz., won $500 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. He finished in sixth place with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces.
Overall, 271 bass were caught during the tournament, including 22 five-bass limits.
The BFL will visit Lake Mohave on April 21 for the third of five events in the Colorado River Division. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Oct. 6-7 on Lake Mead, will be declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Colorado River Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 23-27 on Lake Shasta near Redding, Calif., where they will go up against top competitors from the Western Division for a shot at qualifying for the $250,000 All-American.
Awards for the 2001 BFL season could reach $5.7 million based on full fields at each tournament.