Hill bests Super Tournament field on Grand Lake

GROVE, Okla. – Boater Darrin Hill of Grove, Okla., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Okie Division Super Tournament on Grand Lake with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 29 pounds, 3 ounces. The victory earned Hill $4,992 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Wright Patman Lake Regional Championship in Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Hill caught his bass fishing an array of lures on mid-lake points.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Chris Torkleson of Sand Springs, Okla. (10 bass, 27-14, $2,937); Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla. (10 bass, 26-1, $1,957); Mike Collins of Eufaula, Okla. (10 bass, 24-15, $1,371); and Paul Smith of Copan, Okla. (10 bass, 24-12, $1,175).

Christie also took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $780 for a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass.

Chance Lawless of Durant, Okla., earned $2,937 as the co-angler winner thanks to nine bass weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces that he caught while fishing a shaky head worm in 10 to 12 feet near brush piles.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Nathan McCartney of Enid, Okla. (nine bass, 18-8, $1,468); Aaron Warren of Broken Arrow, Okla. (nine bass, 18-6, $979); Brent Haggard of Gans, Okla. (nine bass, 18-4, $685); and Dale Little of Dewey, Okla. (eight bass, 18-0, $587).

Marvin Baskett of Yukon, Okla., earned $390 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 3-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 Wright Patman 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.