Stetich climbs the Rock
Tripp claims co-angler title
KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. – Michael Stetich of Omaha, Neb., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 25 pounds, 6 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Ozark Division event on Table Rock Lake. For his victory, Stetich earned $6,472.
“I fished from Kimberling City to the lower end of the lake,” said Stetich. “I had 18 keepers, 14 of which came shallow off of transition banks in the morning. I was mostly throwing the Alabama rig and had a 17 to 18 pound limit.
“Then I made an adjustment,” Stetich continued. “About 1 p.m. I started fishing deep, about 35-40 feet. I was able to get three bass over 6 pounds each using Dirty Jigs Tackle Football jig in peanut butter and jelly color. The difference for me was my Hummingbird imaging device. To win any tournament you still have to locate and pattern the fish and my Hummingbird was a major factor in my victory on Saturday.
Stetich believed that Saturday’s bright bluebird skies and light wind prevented the big bass from going shallow. He indicated that the bigger bass seemed to have pulled out and suspended themselves later in the day.
Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:
2nd: Josh Busby, Rogersville, Mo., five bass, 24-13, $2,236
3rd: Marcus Sykora, Osage Beach, Mo., five bass, 22-14, $1,492
4th: Tim Taylor, Nixa, Mo., five bass, 22-3, $968
Mike Webb, Ozark, Mo., five bass, 22-3, $968
6th: Ed Young, Harrison, Ark., five bass, 22-2, $820
7th: Mark Dunbar, Jefferson City, Mo., five bass, 21-8, $745
8th: Dennis Berhorst, Holts Summit, Mo., five bass, 21-5, $671
9th: Billy Doak, Centerview, Mo., five bass, 20-10, $596
10th: Mike Eutsler, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 20-2, $522
Aaron Tripp of Russellville, Ark., weighed in a five bass limit totaling 20 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win $2,236 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Jeff Davis, Rolla, Mo., five bass, 20-1, $1,118
3rd: Brian Jones, Villa Ridge, Mo., five bass, 16-14, $745
4th: Mark Anderson, Nixa, Mo., five bass, 16-13, $484
Dennis Spell, Desloge, Mo., five bass, 16-13, $484
6th: Kenneth Sorensen, Fremont, Neb., four bass, 15-9, $410
7th: Pete Mathews, Shawnee, Kan., five bass, 15-5, $373
8th: Josh Falke, Kansas City, Mo., four bass, 14-9, $335
9th: Shannon Garrett, Burt, Iowa, three bass, 14-7, $298
10th: Derek Felton, Republic, Mo., three bass, 14-2, $248
Warren Lichius, Eureka, Mo., four bass, 14-2, $248
The next BFL Ozark Division tournament is scheduled for March 24 on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Mo. After the fifth Ozark Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 11 – 13 Regional Championship on Lake Barkley in Kuttawa, Ky. 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.