SPANISH FORT, Ala. – The $7 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League for weekend anglers will visit Lay Lake April 27 for the third of five Bama Division events.
Up to 400 of the region’s best anglers will be vying for top awards of up to $5,000 cash in the Boater Division and up to $2,500 cash in the Co-angler Division at the tournament weigh-in, which will be held at Paradise Point Marina beginning at 3 p.m.
Lake Demopolis will host the Bama Division’s fourth tournament June 1 followed by the Bama Super Tournament Sept. 21-22 on Lake Eufaula.
Following the end of regular season competition, the top 30 Bama Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition on the Pearl River near Slidell, La., Oct. 22-26, where they will go up against top competitors from the Arkie, Cowboy and Mississippi Divisions. Boaters will compete for a new Chevy truck and a Ranger boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha, while co-anglers fish for a new Ranger boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha.
Anglers who enter all five regular season Bama Division tournaments but do not advance to the regional can fish the Chevy Trucks Wild Card Regional Nov. 5-9 for a shot at the 2003 Wal-Mart BFL All-American championship. With $100,000 cash going to the winning boater and $50,000 cash going to the winning co-angler, the All-American ranks as one of the most lucrative championship tournaments in competitive angling.
Six boaters and six co-anglers from each of the BFL’s six regional tournaments will advance to the All-American along with six boaters and six co-anglers from the Chevy Wild Card. Three boaters and three co-anglers from the Western Regional will also advance to the All-American, boosting the total field to 45 boaters and 45 co-anglers.
The 2002 All-American on Cross Lake near Shreveport, La., June 5-8 will be televised live on PAX TV as part of the FLW Outdoors television series airing Saturdays at 3 p.m. EST.
Nationwide, the BFL is divided into 26 divisions – each featuring four one-day qualifying tournaments and a two-day Super Tournament. Each Super Tournament will award up to $9,600 to the winning boater and up to $4,800 to the winning co-angler.
Under the BFL’s boater and co-angler format, boaters supply the boats, fish from the front deck, and control boat movement throughout the competition. Co-anglers fish from the back deck and are competing against other co-anglers. Two hundred points are awarded to tournament winners, 199 points are presented for second and so on. These points determine angler standings throughout the season. Every angler who receives weight credit earns points.
Awards for the 2002 BFL season could reach $7 million based on full fields at each tournament. Additionally, Ranger Cup participants are eligible to win a $500 to $1,000 bonus at each BFL tournament. Anglers using a fixed-mount GARMIN Fishfinder or GPS/Sounder are also eligible to win a $1,000 bonus at each BFL tournament as part of the GARMIN Grand Giveaway.
As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a stepping-stone for anglers who wish to advance to the EverStart Series and ultimately the Wal-Mart FLW Tour – bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament series. Each year the top 30 BFL boaters and co-angler from each division are eligible to advance to the EverStart Series.
All-American champions are eligible for Wal-Mart FLW Tour competition. The top 10 pros and co-anglers from each of the EverStart Series’ three divisions are eligible to advance to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. Former BFL anglers who have become fishing superstars on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour include Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt, Chevy pro Tommy Biffle and four time FLW Tour champion David Fritts.
To enter a tournament or for more information about the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call 270-362-4880.