Davis wins Wal-Mart BFL Ozark Division tourney

Jimmy Davis Jr. (left) of Willard, Mo., topped 113 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Bull Shoals Lake with five bass weighing 10 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him $3,378 and 200 points in the Boater Division. David White of Pierce City, Mo., claimed first place and $1,689 in the 113-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 13 ounces. Anglers: Jimmy Davis Jr, David White.

May 11, 2002 • MLF • Archives

BULL SHOALS, Ark. – Jimmy Davis Jr. of Willard, Mo., topped 113 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Bull Shoals Lake with five bass weighing 10 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him $3,378 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Davis also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, boosting his total winnings to $4,378 cash. He caught his limit on a 6-inch green pumpkin worm that he was throwing to flooded bushes. The catch topped second-place boater Greg Underdahl of Springfield, Mo., by 5 ounces. Underdahl finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 13 ounces worth $1,689.

Tim Fleetwood of Forsyth, Mo. (five bass, 9 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,013); Ben Fine of Eagle Rock, Mo. (three bass, 8 pounds, 13 ounces, $811); and Danny Burns of Ozark, Mo., (five bass, 8 pounds, 5 ounces, $743) rounded out the top five boaters.

Manuel Gomez of Jordan, Ark., earned boater big bass honors and $565 with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass. He finished in 31st place thanks to the fish.

David White of Pierce City, Mo., claimed first place and $1,689 in the 113-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 13 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler Billy McCaghren Jr. of Mayflower, Ark., by 4 pounds, 12 ounces. McCaghren finished with a four-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce worth $844.

Gary Sanders of Cassville, Mo. (four bass, 7 pounds, 2 ounces, $507); Steve Bartholomew of Parsons, Kan. (three bass, 6 pounds, 9 ounces, $405); Mark Madison of Raymond, Neb., (four bass, 5 pounds, 13 ounces, $338); and Don Swafford of Springfield, Mo., (three bass, 5 pounds, 13 ounces, $338) rounded out the top five co-anglers.

Co-angler David Tierney of Fayetteville, Ark., earned big bass honors and $282 in his division with a 3-pound, 3-ounce bass. He finished 19th thanks to the fish.

Overall, 10 five-bass limits were caught during the tournament.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Lake Stockton June 22 for the fourth 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.