Owens wins $50,000 in Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Regional on Ohio River

PADUCAH, Ky.- Roger Owens of Monroe, Ohio, topped 116 competitors from four Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League divisions this weekend on the Ohio River to win a new Chevy Silverado and a Mercury- or Yamaha-powered Ranger 518 VX boat.

Owens caught five bass weighing 11 pounds, 6 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, Owens landed five bass weighing 5 pounds, 2 ounces. He then added five more bass weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce Friday to advance to the final round in fifth place. Most of his bass, he says, were caught on tubes near structure in current.

Rounding out the top five boaters were Bill Schroeder of Paducah with five bass weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces worth $5,000; Randy Wieczorek of Buffalo City, Wis., with five bass weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces worth $2,500; Jim McKie of Alma, Wis., with five bass weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces worth $2,000; and Dick Shaffer of Celina, Ohio, with four bass weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces worth $1,500. McKie also earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

David White of Pierce City, Mo., took first place and a Mercury- or Yamaha-powered Ranger boat in the Co-angler Division with a final-round catch of four bass weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces. He advanced to the final round in fourth place after catching five bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces during the first two days of competition.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers were Rudy Wozney of Arcadia, Wis., with four bass weighing 5 pounds, 1 ounce worth $2,500; Bobby McMullin of Pevely, Mo., with four bass weighing 4 pounds, 9 ounces worth $1,250; Dave Durbala of Fort Madison, Iowa, with three bass weighing 4 pounds, 5 ounces worth $1,000; and James Kochanowski of Lansing, Kan., with one bass weighing 1 pound, 2 ounces worth $750.

Anglers from the LBL, Plains, Hoosier and Great Lakes divisions covering lakes in Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota 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, which will be held on Kentucky Lake Nov. 2-3, 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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