Thomas wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League tournament on Lake Barkley

CADIZ, Ky. – Randy Thomas of Paducah, Ky., outpaced 141 competitors Saturday with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 9 ounces to win $4,710 and 200 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) LBL Division tournament on Lake Barkley.

Thomas edged out Danny Roberson of Mayfield, Ky., by 5 ounces in the one-day event that set out from Lake Barkley State Resort Park. Roberson finished with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 4 ounces to win $2,355. Thomas caught his limit while fishing a Carolina-rig over an old roadbed located on a point in Lake Barkley.

Billy Schroeder of Paducah took third place and collected $1,177 with five bass weighing 15 pounds. Tim Griggs of Paducah placed fourth and earned $1,021 with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 7 ounces, while LeRoy McDuffie of McLeansboro, Ill., placed fifth and earned $942 with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 6 ounces.

Schroeder also won $500 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. Roberson also won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $705 with a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.

First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,355 went to Chip Rush of Springfield, Tenn., who topped 141 competitors with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 11 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,177 went to Tony McManus of Madisonville, Ky., with four bass weighing 9 pounds, 14 ounces, while Otis McCormick of Fredonia, Ky., and Mark Wilson of Evansville, Ind., tied for third place with 8 pounds, 3 ounces. McCormick had three bass, and Wilson had two bass. Each man received $549. Wilson also won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $352 with a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass.

Overall, 286 bass were caught during the tournament, including 11 five-bass limits.

On May 19, the BFL will return Lake Barkley for the third of five events in the LBL Division. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 8-9 on Kentucky Lake, 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 LBL 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 Plains, 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.