Whitaker wins BFL event on Degray Lake

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Boater Martin Whitaker of Hensley earned $4,179 Saturday as winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division event on DeGray Lake. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Arkie Division events and featured 157 boaters vying for the win, which earned Whitaker 200 points in the Boater Division.

Whitaker’s winning catch of five bass weighed 14 pounds, 6 ounces, and he caught them on a Gitzit lure and a Fluke. He also earned $785 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass.

Finishing second was Mike Mobley of Benton with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 10 ounces that earned him $2,090. Keith Green of Arkadelphia claimed $1,421 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces. In fourth was Adam Wright of Benton with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 4 ounces worth $1,087, and finishing fifth and earning $919 was Mike Brower Jr. of Texarkana, Texas, with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounce.

Mike Mobley of Benton earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Stanley Broek Breshears of Rogers bested 150 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,021 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 10 pounds, 4 ounces that he caught on a watermelon-red finesse worm.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ronald Mounts of Walnut Ridge (five bass, 9 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,011); Max Shelton of Jacksonville (four bass, 9 pounds, $687); Kenny Holland of Cabot (four bass, 7 pounds, 5 ounces, $525); and Bill Ford of Benton (three bass, 7 pounds, 4 ounces, $445).

Scott Kees of Benton earned $375 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass he caught on a watermelon finesse worm.

The Arkie Division’s next event will be held May 8 on Greers Ferry near Greers Ferry, followed by an event on the Arkansas River in Russellville June 19. The Arkie Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 25-26 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs.

Following the regular season, the Arkie Division boater with the most points will earn $1,000 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader. The co-angler amassing the most points will earn $500 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division.

Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. The top 30 Arkie Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Toledo Bend regional near Many, La., Oct. 12-16, where they will compete against Louisiana, Okie and Ozark division anglers for one of six slots in the 2005 All-American. With a $100,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and $50,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing.

The $6.3 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 24 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired, with boaters supplying the boat and fishing against other boaters and co-anglers fishing from the back deck against other co-anglers. For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or browse this Web site.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com’s sponsor page.