Gober wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Tournament on Lake Lanier

Trent Gober of Buford, Ga., used a catch of 15 pounds, 9 ounces to capture first place in the Pro Division at the April 7 Wal-Mart BFL tour event on Lake Lanier.

April 7, 2001 • MLF • Archives

GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Trent Gober of Buford, Ga., outpaced 169 competitors Saturday with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 9 ounces to win $5,417 and 200 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bulldog Division tournament on Lake Lanier.

Gober edged out Lamontie Walters of Warner Robins, Ga., by 1 pounds, 14 ounces in the one-day event that set out from Laurel Park. Walters finished with a five-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 11 ounces to win $2,708. Gober caught his limit off of rocky points with a spinnerbait.

Roger Vinson of Flowery Branch, Ga., took third place and collected $1,354 with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces. Troy Slate of Conyers, Ga., placed fourth and earned $1,174 with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces. He also won $500 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. Mark Fletcher of Palmetto, Ga., placed fifth and earned $1,083 with two bass weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces. Fletcher also won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $845 with a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass that he caught on 1/2-ounce spinnerbait.

First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,708 went to Ken Crumpler of Marianna, Fla., who topped 169 competitors with two bass weighing 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,354 went to Douglas Hunt of Lithia Springs, Ga., with four bass weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces, while Howard Robinson of Social Circle, Ga., took third place and $677 with four bass weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces.

Bob Martin of Lawrenceville, Ga., won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $422 with a 7-pound, 4-ounce bass that also earned him fourth place and $587.

Overall, 454 bass were caught during the tournament, including 15 five-bass limits.

The BFL will visit West Point Lake June 9 for the fourth of five events in the Bulldog Division. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 29-30 on Lake Sinclair, will be declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler with the most points will receive $500.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Bulldog Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 23-27 on Wateree Lake near Camden, S.C., where they will go up against top competitors from the Gator, Mountain and Bama divisions for a shot at qualifying for the $250,000 All-American.

Awards for the 2001 BFL season could reach $5.7 million based on full fields at each tournament.