Grant top boater at LBL Division tournament

Ronnie Grant of Columbia won the BFL LBL Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held July 19 on Kentucky and Barkley lakes near Gilbertsville, Ky. Grant led the field of 119 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces. Angler: Ronnie Grant.

July 19, 2003 • MLF • Archives

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Ronnie Grant of Columbia claimed $3,476 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League LBL Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held Saturday on Kentucky and Barkley lakes near Gilbertsville. Grant led the field of 119 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces. Grant caught his bass Saturday using a black/blue Zoom jig.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Don Merideth of Princeton (five bass, 16 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,738); Terry Bolton of Paducah (five bass, 15 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,182); Lloyd Pickett Jr. of Bartlett, Tenn. (five bass, 15 pounds, 3 ounces, $904); and Tom Brown of Eddyville (five bass, 15 pounds, 1 ounce, $765).

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

Jeff Ellis of Noblesville, Ind., topped 119 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 11 ounces that he caught using Joe White’s homemade jig. Ellis earned $1,738 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Thomas Higdon of Owensboro (five bass, 14 pounds, 5 ounces, $869); Bobby Wade of Sedalia (five bass, 13 pounds, 4 ounces, $591); Mike Partridge of Chandler, Ind. (five bass, 13 pounds, 1 ounce, $452); and Darrol Samsil of Clarksville, Tenn. (five bass, 12 pounds, 11 ounces, $382).

Tommy Ellis of Paris, Tenn., earned boater big-bass honors and $595 with a 6-pound bass, and Jeff Ellis earned co-angler big-bass honors and $298 in his division with a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass.

The LBL Division’s 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.