Franklin wins BFL Okie Division event on Lake Eufaula

Patton nets co-angler title

EUFAULA, Okla. – Dan Franklin of Van Buren, Ark., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 13 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Okie Division event on Lake Eufaula. For his victory, Franklin earned $4,155.

“It was one of those days where everything was working out real well for me,” said Franklin. “I went straight to an area I had fished in practice, and had my first keeper boated within 10 minutes. I caught it on a black Hart buzzbait. I then switched over to a chartreuse Booyah spinnerbait and had some luck with that as well. When the sun finally came out, I decided to switch it up and go pitching and flipping around wood and structure.

“I was fishing in the mid-lake area, near a creek,” Franklin went on to say. “I made the decision to switch back to the buzzbait in the afternoon, and I threw it up in the willows near the shad swimming. The fish were very aggressive, almost like they were mad at the buzzbait. We had a blast, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. I caught 13 fish. My co-angler had a very nice stringer too. It was such a good time. I can’t wait for the next event on Fort Gibson Lake.”

Rounding out the top 10 pros:

2nd: John Soukup, Agra, Okla., five bass, 15-15, $2,078

3rd: Chance Shearwood, Stigler, Okla., five bass, 15-13, $1,383

4th: Danny Shepard, Cottonwood Falls, Kan., five bass, 14-14, $970

5th: Joe Erwin, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 14-8, $831

6th: Keith Hays, Broken Arrow, Okla., five bass, 14-6, $762

7th: Brad Koehler, Coweta, Okla., five bass, 13-13, $693

8th: Derek Fulps, Broken Arrow, Okla., four bass, 13-9, $623

9th: Mike Michelson, Altus, Okla., five bass, 13-7, $554

10th: Earl Clinton, Stilwell, Okla., five bass, 12-15, $460

10th: Brian Fletcher, Muskogee, Okla., five bass, 12-15, $460

For a complete list of results, click here.

Patton wins co-angler title

Jonathan Patton of Fort Smith, Ark., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 8 ounces Saturday to win $2,078 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:

2nd: Bill Gift, Alix, Ark., five bass, 14-1, $1,039

3rd: Kenny Blackwood, Rogers, Ark., four bass, 11-1, $691

4th: Matthew Alberty, Tahlequah, Okla., four bass, 10-5, $485

5th: John David Jamison, Muskogee, Okla., four bass, 9-12, $398

5th: David Leonard, Owasso, Okla., three bass, 9-12, $398

7th: Brad Dearman, Wagoner, Okla., three bass, 8-1, $346

8th: Terry Canady, Skiatook, Okla., four bass, 7-11, $312

9th: Matt Ellis, Muskogee, Okla., four bass, 7-10, $277

10th: Chris Patterson, Owasso, Okla., three bass, 7-6, $242

For a complete list of co-angler results, click here.

The next BFL Okie Division tournament is scheduled for May 5 on Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Okla. After the fifth Okie 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.