Walmart BFL Great Lakes Division headed to Mississippi River

High water levels should enhance fishing

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Walmart Bass Fishing League is headed to the Mississippi River May 7 for the first of five stops in the Great Lakes Division. As many as 400 boaters and co-anglers will compete for top awards of up to $9,500 and $3,000, respectively.

“Marshes are going to be key in this tournament,” said Walmart FLW Tour pro Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis. “The water is still up so you should be able to get into those back areas; that is where all the food and fish are going to be.

“I would stay shallow, 4 feet or less, targeting bulrushes,” Monsoor added. “Jigs and spinnerbaits will work best. Overall the fishing should be good. It is going to take about 17 to 18 pounds to win.”

Takeoff and weigh-in will be at West Copeland & Clinton Street Boat Ramp located on Clinton Street in La Crosse. Takeoff is scheduled for 6 a.m. while weigh-in will begin at 2 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Bass Fishing League competition is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers offering bigger prizes to those who qualify for the regional championships and those who make it to one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW Outdoors on Facebook at Facebook.com/BassFishingLeague and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWOutdoors.

About FLW Outdoors

FLW Outdoors is the largest tournament-fishing organization in the world, offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW Outdoors has taken fishing mainstream with the world’s richest fantasy sports game, FLW Fantasy Fishing at FantasyFishing.com, where competitors can play for free as well as sign up for Player’s Advantage to gain an edge.