Martin wins $50,000 in Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Regional on Chautauqua Lake

Matthew Martin of La Fayette, N.Y., topped 120 competitors from four Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League divisions this weekend on Chautauqua Lake to win a new Chevy Silverado and a Mercury- or Yamaha-powered Ranger 518 VX boat. Angler: Matt Martin.

October 13, 2001 • MLF • Archives

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. – Matthew Martin of La Fayette, N.Y., topped 120 competitors from four Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League divisions this weekend on Chautauqua Lake to win a new Chevy Silverado and a Mercury- or Yamaha-powered Ranger 518 VX boat.

Martin caught five bass weighing 21 pounds, 13 ounces Saturday to win the regional’s $50,000 first place prize package in the Boater Division. He also qualified for the prestigious Wal-Mart BFL All-American, which features an estimated purse of $345,000, and earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. On opening day, Martin landed four bass weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces. He then added five more bass weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces Friday to advance to the final round in sixth place. Most of his bass, he says, were caught on a purple spider grub in the southeast end of the lake.

Rounding out the top five boaters were Patrick Hailstones of Cincinnati with five bass weighing 21 pounds, 4 ounces worth $5,000; Dick Shaffer of Celina, Ohio, with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 10 ounces worth $2,500; Dave LeFerbre of Erie, Pa., with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 6 ounces worth $2,000; and Ray Hinchcliff of Bowerston, Ohio, with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces worth $1,500.

Robert Hebb of Staunton, Va., took first place and a new Mercury- or Yamaha-powered Ranger boat in the Co-angler Division with a final-round catch of five bass weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces. He advanced to the final round in second place after catching six bass weighing 25 pounds, 6 ounces during the first two days of competition.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Brad Baldwin of Dayton, Ohio, with three bass weighing 12 pounds, 5 ounces worth $2,500; John Duwel of Cincinnati with four bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces worth $1,250; Dan Anderson of Malone, Wis., with three bass weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces worth $1,000; and David Hasty of Toledo, Ohio, with three bass weighing 11 pounds, 5 ounces worth $750.

Anglers from the Northeast, Buckeye, Piedmont and Michigan divisions covering lakes in New York, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Michigan qualified for the regional by placing in the top 30 in points after five qualifying events.

Five regional championships will each advance eight boaters and co-anglers to the All-American May 29-June 1. Four boaters and co-anglers will advance from a sixth regional, and six boaters and co-anglers will advance from the Chevy Trucks Wild Card regional. The Wild Card is open to anglers who entered all five qualifying events in their region but who did not otherwise qualify for post-season competition. A total of 50 boater and 50 co-anglers will compete in the All-American for top awards of $100,000 cash in the Boater Division and $50,000 cash in the Co-Angler Division. At the All-American, Ranger Boats will also award a new Ranger 518VX Comanche boat to the highest placing boater participating in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

More than $5.7 million could be awarded across 22 BFL divisions nationwide in 2001 based on full fields at each tournament.