Bostdorf wins BFL Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee - Major League Fishing

Bostdorf wins BFL Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee

Martinez wins co-angler title
Image for Bostdorf wins BFL Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee
Boater Bob Bostdorf of Apopka, Fla., won the Walmart BFL Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee after netting a total catch of 26 pounds, 2 ounces. For his efforts, Bostdorf took home $6,000 in winnings.
February 18, 2012 • MLF • Archives

OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Bob Bostdorf of Apopka, Fla., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 26 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee. For his victory, Bostdorf earned $6,000.

“I’ve been trying to win one of these for 30 years,” said Bostdorf. “I’ve been close multiple times, just a pound or two away. I’m excited I finally got over the hump and won one! I just had one of those days where the fish that I had found on Friday afternoon stayed there and they didn’t disappear or shrink on me.

“We had a fog delay,” Bostdorf continued. “They finally let us go out around 8:40 a.m. We had to slow way down due to the fog, but once we got to my spot I basically never cranked the motor again. I had one stretch of cover that I fished the entire day that was about 100 to 150 yards long. I had a lot of company in the area, but nobody else was catching them. My main bait was a Zoom Fluke in watermelon red. I was fishing it weightless, real slow. When I mean slow, I mean dead-sticking. You just throw it out there and you don’t move the bait, you just let it sink. Most of my bites came on the initial cast as the bait would fall. It wasn’t fast and furious; I only caught seven keepers on the day, but was able to get three that were a little over 6 pounds. I’ll definitely be at Lake Toho in a few weeks.”

Rounding out the top 10 pros:

2nd: Joseph Kremer, Osteen, Fla., five bass, 25-11, $3,000

3rd: Keith Fels, Ocala, Fla., five bass, 24-1, $2,000

4th: William Closson, Beverly Hills, Fla., five bass, 22-11, $1,400

5th: Richard Held, Lake Worth, Fla., five bass, 22-8, $1,200

6th: Timothy Feller, Coral Springs, Fla., five bass, 22-6, $1,100

7th: Val Osinski, Pompano Beach, Fla., five bass, 22-1, $1,000

8th: Brandon Medlock, Lake Placid, Fla., five bass, 21-3, $900

9th: Ronald Yurko, Okeechobee, Fla., five bass, 20-8, $800

10th: J. Nobel Willits, Altamonte Springs, Fla., five bass, 20-2, $700

For complete results, click here.

Martinez snares co-angler victory

Co-angler Tony Martinez of Bunnell, Fla., finished atop the leaderboard during the Walmart BFL Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee after landing a total catch of 16 pounds, 4 ounces. For his victory, Martinez walked away with over $3,000 in winnings.Tony Martinez of Bunnell, Fla., weighed in four bass totaling 16 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win $3,006 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:

2nd: Dave Dickens, Sarasota, Fla., five bass, 16-2, $1,503

3rd: August Carnahan, Celebration, Fla., five bass, 14-8, $1,008

4th: Nik Kayler, Apopka, Fla., five bass, 14-7, $701

5th: Robert Turcotte, Naples, Fla., three bass, 14-4, $601

6th: Edwin Rivera, Orlando, Fla., five bass, 12-3, $551

7th: Christian Smith, Coral Springs, Fla., five bass, 11-13, $501

8th: Bo Boyles, Deltona, Fla., five bass, 11-12, $451

9th: Robert Hertzer, Tamarac, Fla., five bass, 11-10, $401

10th: Kenneth Bivins, Orlando, Fla., five bass, 11-7, $351

The next BFL Gator Division tournament is scheduled for March 10 on Lake Toho in Kissimmee, Fla. After the fifth Gator Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 4-6 Regional Championship on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. The 2012 BFL All-American is being held May 17 – 19 on the Potomac River in National Harbor, Md. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

About FLW

FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.