EUFAULA, Okla. – Gerald Robinson of Yukon, Okla., outpaced 179 competitors Saturday with five bass weighing 10 pounds, 9 ounces to win $5,632 and 200 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Okie Division tournament on Lake Eufaula.
Robinson edged out Brian Williams of Stigler, Okla., by 9 ounces in the one-day event that set out from Eufaula Cove marina. Williams finished with a three-bass catch weighing 10 pounds to win $2,816. Robinson caught the majority of his bass using a firetiger-colored crankbait along rocky points in the south end of the lake.
Tim Carroll of Owasso, Okla., took third place and collected $1,408 with four bass weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces. Kirk Smith of Edmond, Okla., placed fourth and earned $1,221 with three bass weighing 9 pounds, 6 ounces, while Sherman Nofire of Welling, Okla., placed fifth and earned $1,127 with three bass weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces. Nofire also won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $895 with a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass that he caught on a ¾-ounce white spinnerbait while fishing rocky points.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,816 went to Floyd Drannon of Stratford, Okla., who topped 179 competitors with two bass weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces. He also won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $447 with a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass that he caught on a white spinnerbait.
Second place in the division and $1,408 went to Steve Bradfield of Bartlett, Tenn., with two bass weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces, while Tim Barlow of Broken Arrow, Okla., took third place and $704 with three bass weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces.
Boater Joe Perkins of Owassa, Okla., won $500 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. He finished in 17th place with three bass weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces.
Overall, 261 bass were caught during the tournament, including five five-bass limits.
The BFL will visit Fort Gibson Lake on May 5 for the third of five events in the Okie Division. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 8-9 on Grand Lake, 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 Okie Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 16-20 on the Red River near Shreveport, La., where they will go up against top competitors from the Cowboy, Arkie and Mississippi divisions 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.