White lands LBL Division win

Joe White of Princeton won the BFL LBL Division’s third regular-season stop, held June 21 on Kentucky and Barkley lakes near Cadiz. White led the field of 137 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 19 pounds. Angler: Joe White.

June 21, 2003 • MLF • Archives

CADIZ, Ky. – Joe White of Princeton claimed $3,798 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League LBL Division’s third regular-season stop, held Saturday on Kentucky and Barkley lakes near Cadiz. White led the field of 137 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 19 pounds. White caught his limit Saturday using a Fat Free Shad.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Ramie Colson Jr. of Cadiz (five bass, 17 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,899); Ray Barga of Gilbertsville (five bass, 17 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,291); Bob Snow of Paducah (five bass, 16 pounds, 7 ounces, $987); and Shawn Penn of Eddyville (five bass, 16 pounds, 6 ounces, $835).

Barga also claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Chuck Rounds of Benton topped 137 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught using a crankbait. Rounds earned $1,899 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jack Leffingwell of Munford, Tenn. (five bass, 12 pounds, 1 ounce, $949); Chris Winston of Barnhart, Mo. (four bass, 10 pounds, 14 ounces, $646); John Elliott Jr. of Paducah (five bass, 10 pounds, 10 ounces, $494); and Mike Root of Akron, Ohio (five bass, 9 pounds, 14 ounces, $418).

Colson earned boater big-bass honors and $685 with a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass, and Kenneth Bucy of Murray earned co-angler big-bass honors and $343 in his division with a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass.

The LBL Division will make its fourth regular-season stop July 19 on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Gilbertsville. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Oct. 4-5 on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Paris, Tenn. 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 LBL Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 14-18 on Beaver Lake near Rogers, Ark., where they will go up against top competitors from the Great Lakes, Okie and Ozark 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.