Thill wins BFL Super Tournament on Mississippi River

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Boater Dan Thill of La Crosse, Wis., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division Super Tournament on the Mississippi River with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned Thill $4,944 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Mississippi River Regional Championship in Fort Madison, Iowa, Oct. 4-6, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Thill caught his bass throwing a Zara Spook near sandy and rocky banks to catch his limit.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Jim Johnson of La Crosse, Wis. (10 bass, 32-8, $2,909); Kyle Von Ruden of La Crosse, Wis. (10 bass, 31-14, $1,939); Craig Jahnke of Appleton, Wis. (10 bass, 31-11, $1,357); and Dan Harbaugh of La Crescent, Minn. (10 bass, 31-4, $1,163).

Jahnke also took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $772 for a 5-pound bass that he caught flipping a tube.

Michael Syjud of Shorewood, Ill., earned $2,909 as the co-angler winner thanks to 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 1 ounce that he caught while fishing an array of topwater baits.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are AL Kjos of La Crosse, Wis. (10 bass, 25-6, $1,454); Edward Kamrowski Sr. of La Crosse, Wis. (10 bass, 24-8, $970); James Klemp of Guttenberg, Iowa (nine bass, 22-12, $679); and Michael Parve of West Bend, Wis. (10 bass, 22-11, $582).

Rex Mctier of Endeaver, Wis., earned $386 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 15-ounce bass that he caught while fishing a Southern Lure Co. Scum Frog near lily pads.

Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Mississippi River Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the 2008 All-American presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million, a potential $140,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and as much as $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport’s biggest championship.

The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 28 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired. Boaters supply the boat and fish from the front deck against other boaters while co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits will offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 241 events in 2007.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Walmart.com.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.