BFL Regional Championship heads to Lake Seminole

First of six regional events set for Oct. 4-6

Anglers idle out of the Earl May Boat Basin out of Bainbirdge, Ga., before beginning their journey down the Flint River to Lake Seminole. Photo by Rob Newell.

September 26, 2012 • MLF • Archives

BAINBRIDGE, Ga. – The Walmart Bass Fishing League is headed to Lake Seminole Oct. 4-6 for one of six regional championships. This three-day tournament features the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers from each of the Bama, Choo Choo, Gator and Savannah River divisions.

Anglers will be competing for a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy 1500 Silverado in the Boater Division and a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard in the Co-angler division. Anglers in both divisions are also 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.

“There are a lot of opportunities for guys to really fish to their strengths on Lake Seminole in this event,” said pro Micah Frazier of Newnan, Ga. “There is always a good offshore bite. There’s a lot of lily pads, hydrilla and grass. There’s some real good ledges in the river. It’s going to be a pretty wide open tournament.

“Certain areas of the lake are definitely better than others right now,” Frazier continued. “The water is a little more stained on the south end near the Flint River. This tends to set up the grass a little better, and I think the tournament will probably be won out of this area.”

Frazier suggested that if he was fishing in this event, he’d be flipping shallow grass, from 1 to 7 feet deep.

“I think the frog bite will be very strong in this tournament,” he said. “I’d also be flipping a PowerTeam Craw D’oeuvre or Diesel Craw, or throwing a Skinny Dipper. Don’t count out the guys fishing deep on the ledges, though.”

Frazier estimates that in order to win the event an angler will need 18 to 20 pounds a day.

“The lake is fishing pretty good right now. I think it’s going to take at least 54 pounds to win it, but I would not be at all surprised to see a three-day total of 60 pounds. It’s going to be a very interesting tournament.”

Anglers will take off from Bainbridge Earle May Boat Basin located at 100 Boat Basin Circle in Bainbridge, Ga., at 7:30 a.m. daily. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will be also be held at Earle May Boat Basin beginning at 3:30 p.m. Sunday’s final weigh-in will be held at Action GM located at 2501 E. Shortwell St., in Bainbridge beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

The BFL Regional Championship event is being hosted by the Bainbridge Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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. 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/FLWOutdoors.

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.