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

Britt Cone of Benton, Ky., took first place in the Boater Division at the May 19 Wal-Mart BFL tour event on Barkley Lake. Cone, who recorded a catch of 20 pounds, 12 ounces, won $4,244. Angler: Britt Cone.

May 19, 2001 • MLF • Archives

CADIZ, Ky. – Britt Cone of Benton, Ky., outpaced 118 competitors Saturday with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 12 ounces to win $4,244 and 200 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) LBL Division tournament on Lake Barkley.

Cone edged out Bill Schroeder of Paducah, Ky., by 11 ounces in the one-day event that set out from Lake Barkley State Resort Park marina. Schroeder finished with a five-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 1 ounce to win $2,122. Cone, who also won $1,000 from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, caught his limit while fishing drop-offs in the north end of Kentucky Lake with 1/2-ounce jigs.

Shawn Penn of Benton took third place and collected $1,061 with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 10 ounces. Mike Dilliha of Adairville, Ky., placed fourth and earned $920 with five bass weighing 17 pounds while Jerrod Steward of Paris, Ky., placed fifth and earned $849 with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces. Steward also won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $590 with a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass that he caught on a buzzbait while fishing shallow points in Lake Barkley.

First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,104 went to Kenneth Bucy of Murray, Ky., who topped 118 competitors with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,052 went to Roger Kirby of Owensboro, Ky., with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 9 ounces, while Michael Stone of Kuttawa, Ky., took third place and $526 with four bass weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces.

Robert Perry of Williamstown, Ky., won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $292 with a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass that he caught on a Junebug-colored 8-inch worm while fishing points in Lake Barkley.

Overall, 384 bass were caught during the tournament, including 21 five-bass limits.

The BFL will visit Kentucky Lake for the fourth 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.