Hayward wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Sandusky Bay

David Hayward of Sylvania, Ohio, won the Boater Division at the Sept. 8-9 Wal-Mart BFL Super Tournament at Sandusky Bay. Hayward, who recorded a final-day catch of 18 pounds, 10 ounces, took home prize money totaling $6,480. Angler: David Hayward.

September 9, 2001 • MLF • Archives

SANDUSKY, Ohio – David Hayward of Sylvania, Ohio, topped 111 competitors on Sandusky Bay this weekend with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces to win $6,480 and 400 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Buckeye Division season finale.

After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in 11th place with an opening day catch of five bass weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces, Hayward out fished runner up Ray Hinchcliff of Bowerston, Ohio, by 1 pound, 9 ounces to take the win. Hayward caught his limit on day two using a green tubebait near Pelee Island. He also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Hinchcliff qualified for the final round in eighth place with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 12 ounces and finished up with a catch weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounce to win $3,240.

Dan Chaffin of Delaware, Ohio, took third place and collected $1,620 with 16 pounds, 11 ounces. Wes Campbell of Dayton, Ohio, placed fourth and earned $1,404 with 16 pounds, 10 ounces. And Rob Webber of Elyria, Ohio, placed fifth and earned $1,296 with 16 pounds, 9 ounces.

Butch Dobransky of Canton, Ohio, won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $970 with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass that he caught on a green tubebait near Kelly Island.

First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,240 went to David Farkas of Vermilion, Ohio, who topped 111 competitors with a final round catch of five bass weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,620 went to Kirk Montgomery of Bradenville, Pa., with 13 pounds, 14 ounces, while Bob Phelps of Shelby, Ohio, took third place and $810 with 13 pounds, 6 ounces.

Daniel Dobransky of Canton, Ohio, won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $485 with a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass that he caught on a green tubebait.

Wes Campbell of Dayton, Ohio, landed the Divisional Points Championship and $1,000 with 1089 points won during five regular season tournaments. Brad Baldwin of Dayton, Ohio, landed the Co-Angler Points Championship and $500 with 1075 points.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Buckeye Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 9-13 on Chautauqua Lake near Jamestown, N.Y., where they will go up against top competitors from the Northeast, Piedmont and Michigan divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, which features an estimated purse of $345,000 and ranks as one of the most lucrative post-season tournaments in competitive angling. The top two boaters and co-anglers may also qualify for the Ranger M1 tournament in Mobile, Ala., Feb. 27-March 2, 2002, where they can win up to $1 million in the world’s richest freshwater tournament.

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

Sponsors of the 2001 Wal-Mart BFL are ALPO Pet Foods, BC Powder, BFGoodrich Tires, Black & Decker, Chevy Trucks, CITGO, Coleman, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, Garmin, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Mercury Marine, Minn Kota, Pepsi, Poulan, Pure Fishing, Ranger Boats, Snickers Cruncher Bar, Stren, Shop-Vac, Timex, US Bank, Visa, Weed Eater, Wrangler and Yamaha Outboards. ACDelco is an associate sponsor of the Wal-Mart BFL.