Herald wins LBL Division tournament
CADIZ, Ky. – Justin Herald of Fisherville, Ky., topped 123 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Barkley Lake with four bass weighing 18 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him $3,533 and 200 points in the Boater Division.
Herald caught his bass on Rat-L-Traps and spinner baits while fishing points in 2 to 10 feet of water. The catch topped second-place boater James Tolley of Fredonia, Ky., by 1 pound, 11 ounces. Tolley finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 3 ounces worth $1,766.
Keith Fain of Murray, Ky. (four bass, 16 pounds, $1,060); Teddy Wynn of Benton, Ky. (five bass, 14 pounds, 10 ounces, $848); and Jeff Evans of Benton, Ky., (four bass, 14 pounds, 8 ounces, $706) rounded out the top five boaters. Evans also earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Mack Reddick of Saint Charles, Mo., earned boater big bass honors and $615 with a 6-pound, 15-ounce bass that he caught on a red crankbait while fishing a shallow point near Ford’s Bay. He finished in 13th place overall with two bass weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces.
Norman Jackson of Princeton, Ky., claimed first place and $1,766 in the 123-competitor Co-angler Division with two bass weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces. His catch, which included a 7-pounder worth $307 as the co-angler big bass, surpassed second-place co-angler Tony Evans of Cadiz, Ky., by 15 ounces. Evans finished with a four-bass catch weighing 10 pounds worth $883.
Terry Koerper of Lloyd, Ky. (four bass, 9 pounds, $530); Mike Lavender of Benton, Ky. (two bass, 8 pounds, 14 ounces, $424); and Russell Johnson of Benton, Ky., (two bass, 8 pounds, 12 ounces, $389) rounded out the top five co-anglers.
Overall, three five-bass limits were caught during the tournament.
The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Kentucky Lake June 15 for the third 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.