Carroll wins $50,000 in Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Regional on the Red River
SHREVEPORT, La. – Tim Carroll of Owasso, Okla., topped 120 competitors from four Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League divisions this weekend on the Red River to win a new Chevy Silverado and a Mercury- or Yamaha-powered Ranger 518 VX boat.
Carroll caught five bass weighing 13 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win the regional’s $50,000 first place prize package in the Boater Division. He also qualified for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American May 29-June 1. On opening day, Carroll landed one bass weighing 4 pounds, 11 ounces. He then added five more bass weighing 10 pounds, 8 ounces Friday to advance to the final round in seventh place. Most of his bass, he says, were caught around stumps in pool No. 4.
Rounding out the top five boaters were Ricky Smith of Collinsville, Miss., with five bass weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces worth $5,000; Terry Butcher of Talala, Okla., with five bass weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces worth $2,500; Darien Duhon of Orange, Texas, with five bass weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces worth $2,000; and Mike Brower Jr. of Texarkana, Texas, with five bass weighing 6 pounds, 5 ounces worth $1,500.
Shane Batton of Jackson, Miss., 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 10 pounds, 2 ounces. He advanced to the final round in first place after catching three bass weighing 11 pounds, 8 ounces during the first two days of competition.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Steve Bradfield of Claremore, Okla., with five bass weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces worth $2,500; John Breeden of Brandon, Miss., with five bass weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces worth $1,250; Alton Lackie of Germantown, Tenn., with five bass weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces worth $1,000; and Gary Seachord of Beatrice, Neb., with three bass weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces worth $750.
Anglers from the Cowboy, Okie, Arkie and Mississippi divisions covering lakes in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama qualified for the regional by placing in the top 30 in points standings after five qualifying events.
Five regional championships will each advance eight boaters and co-anglers to the All-American. 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 during the 2001 season based on full fields at each tournament.
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