Gentry wins Wal-Mart BFL Ozark Division tourney

Sheldon Gentry (left) of Lohman, Mo., topped 164 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Lake of the Ozarks with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 13 ounces. The catch earned him $4,320 and 200 points in the Boater Division. Sam Sutton of Washington, Mo., claimed first place and $2,107 in the 160-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces. Anglers: Sheldon Gentry, Sam Sutton.

April 20, 2002 • MLF • Archives

LAURIE, Mo. – Sheldon Gentry of Lohman, Mo., topped 164 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Lake of the Ozarks with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 13 ounces. The catch earned him $4,320 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Gentry caught his limit on a white spinner bait. The catch topped second-place boater Mike Cooper of Branson, Mo., by 10 ounces. Cooper finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 19 pounds, 3 ounces worth $2,160.

Jay Hulsey of Bourbon, Mo. (five bass, 18 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,296); Danny Luttrull of Rogersville, Mo. (five bass, 18 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,037); and Jackie Davis of Willard, Mo., (five bass, 17 pounds, 12 ounces, $950) rounded out the top five boaters. Davis also earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Kelly Coble of Conway, Ark., earned boater big bass honors and $820 with a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass. Coble finished in 51st place overall with three bass weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces.

Sam Sutton of Washington, Mo., claimed first place and $2,107 in the 160-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler Dewey Larson of Fayetteville, Ark., by 3 pounds, 1 ounce. Larson finished with a three-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 3 ounces worth $1,054.

Gary Sanders of Cassville, Mo. (four bass, 10 pounds, 7 ounces, $632); Brad Faltemier of Washington, Mo. (three bass, 10 pounds, 3 ounces, $506); and Mike McAllister of Oakland, Tenn., (three bass, 9 pounds, 7 ounces, $464) rounded out the top five co-anglers.

Larson and McAllister tied for co-angler big bass honors with a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass each. Both men received $200 for their bass.

Overall, 36 five-bass limits were caught during the tournament.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Bull Shoals May 11 for the third of five Ozark Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 21-22 on Table Rock Lake, will be declared the Yamaha “Be the Best” Points Leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.

The top 30 Ozark Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 29-Nov. 2 on Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs, Ark., where they will go up against top competitors from the Louisiana, Okie and Gulf Coast divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative post-season tournaments in competitive angling.

2002 BFL awards could reach $7 million based on full fields.