Old Hickory Lake Super Tournament won by Bain

GALLATIN, Tenn. – Trey Bain of Gallatin, Tenn., topped 63 Boater Division competitors on Old Hickory Lake this weekend with a five-bass catch weighing 10 pounds, 3 ounces. He earned $4,707 and 300 points for the win at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Music City Division season finale.

After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in second place with an opening-day catch of five bass weighing 14 pounds, Bain out-fished runner-up John Hopkins of Hendersonville, Tenn., by 10 ounces to take the win. Bain caught his limit on day two using a spinner bait.

Hopkins qualified for the final round in ninth place with four bass weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces and finished up with a three-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces to win $2,354.

Pat Nowakowski of Indianapolis (three bass, 7 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,275); Chris Ludwig of Lawrenceburg, Ind. (four bass, 6 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,079); and Sam Lashlee of Camden, Tenn., (two bass, 5 pounds, 8 ounces, $883) rounded out the top five boaters.

Steve Mull of Lebanon, Tenn., took boater big-bass honors and $630 for a 5-pound bass he caught on a buzzbait. Bryant Ailor of Knoxville, Tenn., earned a $500 bonus as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Chris Coates of Westmoreland, Tenn., topped 61 competitors in the Co-angler Division to take first place and $2,279 thanks to a final-round catch of three bass weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,139 went to Corey Cox of Rogersville, Ala., with a two-bass catch weighing 4 pounds, followed by Todd Hollowell of Old Hickory, Tenn., in third place with one bass weighing 3 pounds worth $617.

Glen Powers of Madison, Tenn., won the co-angler big-bass award of $305 with a 6-pound, 11-ounce bass he caught on a spinner bait.

Nowakowski is the Music City Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1,043 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Hollowell is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 882 points.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Music City Division 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, LBL and Shenandoah divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, one of the most lucrative postseason 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, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, GARMIN, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, Stren, U.S. Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards.