Walmart BFL tournament preview at a glance
The 2012 Walmart BFL season continues with five tournaments on Saturday, March 31
The 2012 Walmart BFL season continues with five tournaments on Saturday, March 31. The Choo Choo division continues on Lake Guntersville, the Gator division continues on Lake Toho, the Mississippi division continues on Ross Barnett Reservoir, the North Carolina division continues on Kerr Lake and the Okie division continues on Lake Eufaula. Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing in each event for top awards up to $8,000 and $3,000 respectively.
When: Saturday, March 31, 2012
Where: Choo Choo Division
Lake Guntersville
Val-Monte Lakeside Resort & Marina
7000 Val-Monte Drive
Guntersville, Ala.
Hosted by the Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The fishing remains smoking hot on Lake Guntersville right now. The water temperature is in the mid- to upper-60 degree range and the bass are in full spawn mode. They are on the beds, and sight fishing could play a big role in this tournament. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and the Alabama rig are all expected to be used heavily. The winning bag could easily be over 30 pounds in this tournament.
Where: Gator Division
Lake Toho
Big Toho Marina
101 Lakeshore Boulevard
Kissimmee, Fla.
Hosted by the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Bass being caught right now on Lake Toho are averaging around 3 to 4 pounds, with reports of a few 8- to 9-pounders being had. Toho has plenty of cover and grass where the bass love to hide. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, Senkos and Carolina rigs should be popular baits. The bass should be moving to beds to spawn, and the bite should reflect that. If the weather cooperates and stays warm, Toho anglers should see some large bags being brought to weigh-in.
Where: Mississippi Division
Ross Barnett Reservoir
Tommy’s Trading Post
4238 Highway 43 North
Brandon, Miss.
Hosted by the Flowood Chamber of Commerce
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The bass are moving up on Ross Barnett Reservoir and anglers should be looking for the bass that are in spawn mode. Soft plastics, spinnerbaits and jigs will all be used by anglers. The lake is extremely shallow, and can become extremely difficult to fish with heavy rain or wind. Plenty of shallow cover and structure offer the tournament fisherman plenty of opportunities. With so many available options, this tournament should be very competitive.
Where: North Carolina Division
Kerr Lake
Nutbush Park
115 Jack Wade Farm Road
Henderson, N.C.
Hosted by the Vance County Department of Tourism
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The bass should be in a pre-spawn to spawn pattern and anglers should target the banks where the bass will be moving up to stage. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics are all effective baits that will be used. Water temperature will be in the lower- to mid-60 degree range, and good numbers of fish should be caught. The winning angler can expect to have around 20 pounds.
Where: Okie Division
Lake Eufaula
Southport Marina
Highway 9 East
Eufaula, Okla.
Hosted by the City of Eufaula
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The lake level on Eufaula is up due to quite a bit of rainfall, and the water will be up in the bushes, grass, and the willows. A lot of bass should come out of that cover. The fish are real shallow right now, and anglers should target them with normal shallow tactics – spinnerbaits, jigs and crankbaits. The winning bag will be around 18 to 20 pounds. Eufaula is also known for its giant smallmouth, and if an angler is able to find a big school of them, this tournament can be won with all smallmouth bass.
Walmart BFL overview
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 are competing 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.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
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.