Oquist wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League tournament on Milford Lake

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. – Dennis Oquist of Saint Charles, Mo., outpaced 42 competitors Saturday with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 6 ounces to win $2,200 and 200 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Plains Division tournament on Milford Lake.

Oquist edged out John Ballard of Parkville, Mo. by 2 ounces in the one-day event that set out from Milford Sate Park. Ballard finished with a three-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 4 ounces to win $1,100. Oquist also won $1,000 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Kevin Davis of Lawrence, Kan., took third place and collected $550 with three bass weighing 10 pounds, 13 ounces. Scott Stephenson of Topeka, Kan., placed fourth and earned $476 with three bass weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces.

Ballard won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $210 with a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass.

First place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,100 went to Royce Hershberger of Lincoln, Neb., who topped 42 competitors with four bass weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces. Second place in the division and $550 went to Kenneth Sorensen of Fremont, Neb., with three bass weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces, while Dale Burriell of Omaha, Neb., took third place and $275 with two bass weighing 7 pounds.

James Kochanowski of Lansing, Kan., won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $105 with a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass that he caught while fishing shallow rocks with a jig.

On June 16, the BFL will visit Grand Lake for the fourth of five events in the Plains Division. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 8-9 on Lake Truman, will be declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Plains Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 16-20 on the Ohio River near Paducah, Ky., where they will go up against top competitors from the LBL, Hoosier and Great Lakes 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.