Lasater wins Wal-Mart BFL LBL Division tourney

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Kevin Lasater of McKenzie, Tenn., topped 155 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Kentucky Lake with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him $4,130 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Lasater, who also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, caught his limit in the southern portion of the lake using brown jigs and Rat-L-Traps around rocks in 3 to 8 feet of water. The catch topped second-place boater Jeff Evans of Benton, Ky., by 1 pound, 14 ounces. Evans finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 9 ounces worth $2,065.

George Taylor of Dresden, Tenn., (five bass, 15 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,239) and James Tolley of Fredonia, Ky., (four bass, 15 pounds, 7 ounces, $991) rounded out the top four boaters. Lloyd Pickett Jr. of Bartlett, Tenn., and Gary Price of Shepherdsville, Ky., tied for fifth with 15 pounds, 4 ounces. Pickett had three bass, and Price had five bass. Each man received $826.

Scott Adams of Murray, Ky., earned boater big bass honors and $775 with an 8-pound, 6-ounce bass that he caught on a black Carolina-rigged Culprit worm while fishing points in 8 to 12 feet of water. He finished in 11th place overall with two bass weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces.

Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League newcomer Phil Shade of Henderson, Ky., claimed first place and $2,064 in the 153-competitor Co-angler Division with four bass weighing 11 pounds, 13 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler Bobby McMullin of Pevely, Mo., by 9 ounces thanks to a shad colored crankbait that he was casting to rip rap in 8 to 10 feet of water. McMullin finished with a four-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces worth $1,032.

Chris Winston of Barnhart, Mo. (two bass, 10 pounds, 8 ounces, $619); Eric Stonecypher of Columbia, Ky. (two bass, 10 pounds, 7 ounces, $495); and Eric Reno of Freedom, Ind., (three bass, 10 pounds, 1 ounce, $454) rounded out the top five co-anglers.

Co-angler Mitch Derrick of Englewood, Tenn., earned big bass honors and $382 in his division with an 8-pound, 4-ounce bass. He finished 11th place thanks to the one bass.

Overall, four five-bass limits were caught during the tournament.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Lake Barkley April 13 for the second of five LBL Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 14-15 on Kentucky Lake will be declared the Yamaha “Be the Best” Points Leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.

The top 30 LBL Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition presented by BC Powder Oct. 29-Nov. 2 on Wheeler Lake near Rogersville, Ala., where they will go up against top competitors from the Bulldog, Music City and Shenandoah divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative post-season tournaments in competitive angling.

2002 BFL awards could reach $7 million based on full fields.

Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart BFL are Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet Foods, BC Powder, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Coleman, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, Garmin, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Maxwell House, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, Stren, US Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards. Associate sponsors are Abu Garcia, Berkley, Eagle Claw, Laker, Plano and Solar Bat.