Cagle wins $50,000 in Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League regional on Wateree Lake

CAMDEN, S.C. – Allan Cagle of Winter Haven, Fla., topped 120 competitors from four Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League divisions this weekend on Wateree Lake to win a new Chevy Silverado and a Mercury- or Yamaha-powered Ranger 518 VX boat with GARMIN electronics, Minn Kota trolling motor and EverStart batteries.

Cagle caught five bass weighing 11 pounds, 6 ounces Saturday to win the regional’s $50,000 first-place prize package in the Boater Division. He also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program and qualified for his fourth straight Wal-Mart BFL All-American May 29-June 1. On opening day, Cagle landed three bass weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces. He then added five bass weighing 8 pounds, 14 ounces Friday to advance to the final round in third place. Most of his bass, he says, were caught on Terminator jigs and buzzbaits while fishing around docks in the lower end of the lake.

Rounding out the top five boaters were Ronnie Ray of Pheniz, City, Ala., with 4 pounds, 6 ounces worth $5,000; Davey Thomas of Sumter, S.C., with 4 pounds, 5 ounces worth $2,500; Craig Young of Guntersville, Ala., with 4 pounds worth $2,000; and Steve Kennedy of Hoover, Ala., with 3 pounds, 14 ounces worth $1,500.

Tony Robinson of Stockbridge, Ga., took first place and a Mercury- or Yamaha-powered Ranger boat in the Co-angler Division with a final-round catch of four bass weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces. He advanced to the final round in fourth place after catching seven bass weighing 12 pounds, 4 ounces during the first two days of competition.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Dennis Hudson of Fortson, Ga., with 6 pounds, 13 ounces worth $2,500; Red Downey of Fort Myers, Fla., with 2 pounds, 11 ounces worth $1,250; Leonard Mason of East Bernstadt, Ky., with 2 pounds, 5 ounces worth $1,000; and Gary Fowler of Gordon, Ga., with 1 pound, 15 ounces worth $750.

Anglers from the Bama, Mountain, Bulldog and Gator divisions covering lakes in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Florida qualified for the regional by placing in the top 30 in points standings after five qualifying events.

Five regional championships will each advance eight boaters and co-anglers to the All-American. Four boaters and co-anglers will advance from a sixth regional, and six boaters and co-anglers will advance from the Chevy Trucks Wild Card regional on Kentucky Lake Nov. 2-3.

The Wild Card is open to anglers who entered all five qualifying events in their region but who did not otherwise qualify for post-season competition. A total of 50 boater and 50 co-anglers will compete in the All-American for top awards of $100,000 cash in the Boater Division and $50,000 cash in the Co-angler Division. At the All-American, Ranger Boats will also award a new Ranger 518VX Comanche boat to the highest placing boater participating in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

More than $5.7 million could be awarded across 22 BFL divisions nationwide during the 2001 season based on full fields at each tournament.