Propst tops pros at BFL Gator Division tournament - Major League Fishing

Propst tops pros at BFL Gator Division tournament

Image for Propst tops pros at BFL Gator Division tournament
Brent Propst of Port St. Lucie, Fla., won the BFL League Gator Division?s fourth regular-season stop, held April 5 on Lake Okeechobee near Clewiston. Angler: Brent Propst.
April 5, 2003 • MLF • Archives

CLEWISTON, Fla. – Brent Propst of Port St. Lucie claimed $4,910 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Gator Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held Saturday on Lake Okeechobee near Clewiston. Propst led the field of 195 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 28 pounds, 14 ounces.

Propst caught his bass Saturday pitching a Gambler Flapp’n Shad at the north end of the lake. He earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

Rene Gonzalez of Lauderhill claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Rounding out the top five boaters are John Burke of Fort Lauderdale (five bass, 26 pounds, 4 ounces, $2,455); Bobby Lane of Lakeland (five bass, 22 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,670); James Medlin of West Palm Beach (five bass, 22 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,277); and Bryan Holden of Okeechobee (five bass, 22 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,080).

Mark Hester of Okeechobee topped 195 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 21 pounds, 5 ounces that he caught flipping with Gambler baits. Hester earned $2,455 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Andres Perez of Casselberry (five bass, 19 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,228); Terry Bell of Sebring (five bass, 18 pounds, 14 ounces, $835); Chuck Ervin of Sunrise (five bass, 18 pounds, 6 ounces, $638); and Gregory Gooden of Miami (five bass, 18 pounds, 1 ounce, $540).

Bob Broughton of Clewiston earned boater big-bass honors and $975 with a 8-pound, 5-ounce bass, and Billy Cason of High Springs earned co-angler big-bass honors and $488 in his division with an 8-pound, 14-ounce bass.

The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Oct. 4-5 on Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee. Following the regular season, the boater with the most points will be declared the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler with the most points following the regular season will earn $500.

The top 30 Gator Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on Clark Hill Lake near Thomson, Ga., where they will go up against top competitors from the Choo Choo, Mountain and Piedmont divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.

As much as $6 million will be awarded in the 2003 Wal-Mart BFL.

Editor’s Note: Ranger Cup award winners are pending verification by Ranger Boats and thus are unofficial at this time.