Cox wins Super Tournament on Harris Chain Of Lakes

TAVARES, Fla. – Boater John Cox of Debary, Fla., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Gator Division Super Tournament on Harris Chain of Lakes with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 15 ounces. The victory earned Cox $5,442 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Appling, Ga., Oct. 11-13, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Cox caught his bass throwing a spinnerbait on Lake Eustis.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Lonnie O’Neal of Valdosta, Ga. (10 bass, 29-10, $3,202); Jason McKinnie of Umatilla, Fla. (nine bass, 27-6, $2,133); Ricky Danner of Citra, Fla. (10 bass, 26-6, $1,494); and Joseph Kremer of Osteen, Fla. (10 bass, 24-14, $1,281).

Jason Brewer of Dundee, Fla., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $892 for a 7-pound, 9-ounce bass.

Calvin Boyette of Wesley Chapel, Fla., earned $3,202 as the co-angler winner thanks to eight bass weighing 21 pounds, 1 ounce that he caught while fishing a spinnerbait 20 feet from grass on Little Lake Harris.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are David Lepsic of Haines City, Fla. (10 bass, 18-14, $1,601); Carrie Bronson of Polk City, Fla. (five bass, 16-9, $1,067); Christopher Witt of Saint Petersburg, Fla. (six bass, 13-13, $747); and Barry Pavia of Fruitland Park, Fla. (five bass, 13-1, $640).

Boyette also earned $446 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 9-pound, 12-ounce bass.

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 Clarks Hill Lake 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.