Wiley wins BFL event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir - Major League Fishing

Wiley wins BFL event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Morris nets co-angler title during Cowboy Division contest
Image for Wiley wins BFL event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Boater Chad Wiley took home the top spot at the Walmart BFL Cowboy Division event on the Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Wiley landed a total catch of 25 pounds, 8 ounces to net more than $3,600.
February 25, 2012 • MLF • Archives

LUFKIN, Texas – Chad Wiley of Pineville, La., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 25 pounds, 8 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Cowboy Division event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. For his victory, Wiley earned $4,632.

“It was a last-minute decision to go deep, but it paid off,” said Wiley. “I had pre-fished shallow and I really couldn’t get nothing going. The fish were biting, but they were the smaller males and only around 2 pounds apiece. I knew I could easily catch 10 pounds fishing shallow, but that wouldn’t be enough to win. So I swung for the fence and completely changed my strategy and went deep.”

The decision turned out to be a good one for Wiley, as he won by 51/2 pounds over his closest competitor.

“I fished deep off the main river ledges,” Wiley continued. “I would find certain ledges that would serve as a ditch for late spawners coming out of the river to go into spawn, so that’s what I targeted. I keyed in on three areas, because I did not have a lot of time to waste. I just ran back and forth to my three spots, and I couldn’t have asked for a better day. I was using a ¾-ounce Oldham’s Jig in black and blue. Whenever I would find structure that it would get hung up on, I switched to a 1/2-ounce Sniper Lures Trigger Craw cause I knew it wouldn’t get hung up. I was able to catch around 20 fish total throughout the day.”

Rounding out the top 10 pros:

2nd: Bill Rogers, Jasper, Texas, five bass, 20-0, $1,816

3rd: Glenn Robertson, Shreveport, La., five bass, 19-0, $1,210 + $1,000 Evinrude Bonus

4th: Alan Fitts, Hemphill, Texas, five bass, 16-11, $847

5th: Matthew Delaney, Pollock, La., five bass, 15-14, $726

6th: Randall Deaver, Shreveport, La., five bass, 14-13, $666

7th: Dewey Day, Huntington, Texas, four bass, 14-7, $605

8th: Bradley Stringer, Huntington, Texas, five bass, 14-5, $545

9th: Randy Despino, Colfax, La., five bass, 14-2, $484

10th: Ricky Guy, Humble, Texas, four bass, 14-0, $385

10th: Steven Singleton, Nederland, Texas, five bass, 14-0, $385

10th: Don Williams, Keithville, La., five bass, 14-0, $385

For a complete list of results, click here.

Morris snares co-angler title

Co-angler John Morris of Houston, Texas, took the top prize at the Walmart BFL Cowboy Division event on the Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Morris used a total catch of 18 pounds, 2 ounces to secure a first-place award of more than $1,600.John Morris of Houston, Texas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win $1,648 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:

2nd: Dustin Jerrett, Apple Springs, Texas, five bass, 17-12, $824

3rd: Robert Moore, Leesville, La., five bass, 15-13, $549

4th: Kenny Moser, Alba, Texas., four bass, 13-14, $385

5th: Randall Morgan, Rusk, Texas, five bass, 13-12, $330

6th: Keith Rose, Harleton, Texas, five bass, 12-12, $302

7th: Grayson Honeycutt, Temple, Texas, five bass, 11-8, $275

8th: Richard Earle, Youngsville, La., four bass, 11-2, $247

9th: Larry Lark, Converse, Texas, four bass, 11-1, $220

10th: Daniel Brock, Anna, Texas, five bass, 11-0, $192

The next BFL Cowboy Division tournament is scheduled for March 17 on Toledo Bend Lake in Many, La. After the fifth Cowboy Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 18-20 Regional Championship on the Red River in Natchitoches, La. 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.