FLORENCE, Ala. – Randy Haynes of Counce, Tenn., weighed a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 40 pounds even to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Bama Division super tournament on Pickwick Lake in Florence on Sunday. For his victory, Haynes earned $5,446.
“It’s great to finally get a win at the BFL level,” said Haynes. “I’ve had three EverStart series wins, and I’ve been all around the top of the leaderboard at a few BFL events, but I was never able to get the win. Finally it happened for me.”
Haynes certainly had to work for this victory. He knew that he could catch a solid limit on Pickwick Lake, but decided to gamble and made a 75-mile run to Bay Springs Lake.
“I had to separate myself from the pack,” Haynes continued. “It was do or die for me. I knew that I could catch 14 or 15 pounds a day on Pickwick, but I felt like the fish that I needed to win were in Bay Springs. I ran through 60 gallons of fuel per day, but it was worth it. Pickwick is fishing so good right now, and Bay Springs has really been left alone.”
Haynes fished deep brush piles throwing a green pumpkin-colored ¾-ounce Strike King Football Head jig, crankbaits and a red bug-colored worm.
“I really have to thank Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine and Motorguide for this win,” Haynes went on to say. “When you’re making a long run like that, nothing can go wrong. I ran the Mercury hard for an hour and a half twice every day, and it really held up for me.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros:
2nd: Tony Harvey, Killen, Ala., 10 bass, 34-8, $2,723
3rd: Kyle Glasgow, Guin, Ala., 10 bass, 31-11, $1,816
4th: William Davis, Sheffield, Ala., 10 bass, 30-7, $1,271
5th: Jessie Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 28-1, $1,089
6th: Morgan Brown, Spanish Fort, Ala., 10 bass, 26-3, $998
7th: Steve Humphries, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 25-4, $908
8th: Charles Watts, Corinth, Miss., 10 bass, 24-0, $817
9th: Wes Essary, Northport, Ala., 10 bass, 23-6, $726
10th: Bobby Padgett, LaGrange, Ga., 10 bass, 23-5, $635 + $1,000 Evinrude Bonus
Complete results can be found here.
Curvin claims co-angler crown
Scott Curvin of Jacksonville, Ala., weighed in 10 bass totaling 28 pounds, 5 ounces Sunday to win $2,599 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:
2nd: Bruce Cohea, Ripley, Miss., nine bass, 23-12, $1,299
3rd: Michael Marlin, Nesbit, Miss., nine bass, 23-1, $867
4th: Gregory Nunnelly, Ohatchee, Ala., 10 bass, 18-7, $606
5th: Jody Moore, Dalton, Ga., nine bass, 17-3, $520
6th: Ralph Moseley, Panama, Fla., 10 bass, 16-13, $476
7th: Keith Glasgow, Guin, Ala., six bass, 16-9, $433
8th: Dillon Tucker, Brilliant, Ala., 10 bass, 16-7, $390
9th: Ferlin Weeks, Trinity, Ala., seven bass, 16-4, $346
10th: Matt Wooten, West Point, Miss., eight bass, 14-14, $303
Complete co-angler results can be found here.
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 4-6 Regional Championship on Kerr Lake 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. 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.