Walker wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League tournament on Patoka Lake

Boater Steve Walker (left) of Greenwood, Ind., and co-angler Jason Gross (right) won their respective divisions at the May 19 Wal-Mart BFL tour event on Lake Patoka. Walker won $5,600 after turning in a catch of 16 pounds, 5 ounces while Gross took home $2,800 after landing a 12-pound, 5-ounce stringer. Anglers: Jason Gross, Steve Walker.

May 19, 2001 • MLF • Archives

BIRDS EYE, Ind. – Steve Walker of Greenwood, Ind., outpaced 178 competitors Saturday with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces to win $5,600 and 200 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Hoosier Division tournament on Patoka Lake.

Walker edged out Marty Sisk of Evansville, Ind., by 1 pound, 6 ounces in the one-day event that set out from Newton Stewart South Marina. Sisk finished with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces to win $2,800. He also received a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Walker caught his limit, including a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass that earned him $890 as the biggest bass in the Boater Division, under overcast skies by flipping black jigs to timber.

Ryan Deal of Haubstadt, Ind., took third place and collected $1,400 with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces. Gerald Smith of Louisville, Ky., placed fourth and earned $1,214 with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 12 ounces, while Terry Dillon of Plainfield, Ind., placed fifth and earned $1,120 with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces.

First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,800 went to Jason Gross of Scottsburg, Ind., who topped 178 competitors with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 5 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,400 went to Larry Kitchel of Logansport, Ind., with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 15 ounces, while George Davis of Columbus, Ind., took third place and $700 with five bass weighing 10 pounds, 8 ounces.

Jimmy Tarrence of Jeffersonville, Ind., won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $445 with a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass.

Overall, 627 bass were caught during the tournament, including 31 five-bass limits.

The BFL will visit Lake Monroe June 23 for the third of five events in the Hoosier Division. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 22-23 at Rocky Point, 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 Hoosier Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 16-20 on the Ohio river near Paducah, Ky., where they will go up against top competitors from the LBL, Plains and Great Lakes 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.