WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Bruce Ring of Front Royal, Va., topped 142 Boater Division competitors on the Potomac River this weekend with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces. He earned $7,646 and 300 points for the win at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division season finale.
After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in 16th place with an opening-day catch of five bass weighing 10 pounds, 2 ounces, Ring out-fished runner-up Wayne Jennings of Prince George, Va., by 9 ounces to take the win. Ring caught his limit on day two using a worm.
Jennings qualified for the final round in 28th place with three bass weighing 9 pounds and finished up with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 4 ounces to win $3,823.
Darren Kern of Stafford, Va. (five bass, 14 pounds, 13 ounces, $2,071); Frank Poirier of Hopewell, Va. (five bass, 13 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,752); and Adam Lester of Goodview, Va., (five bass, 13 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,434) rounded out the top five boaters.
Kyle Hoffman of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., took boater big-bass honors and $1,420 for a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass he caught on a spinner bait. Bo Grosvenor of Goode, Va., earned a $500 bonus as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Raymond Schaaf of Falls Church, Va., topped 142 competitors in the Co-angler Division to take first place and $3,823 thanks to a final-round catch of five bass weighing 11 pounds, 14 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,912 went to Lee Vandyke of Middletown, Del., with a five-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces, followed by Tommy Bell of Richmond, Va., in third place with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 3 ounces worth $1,035.
David Ludwig of New Castle, Del., and Vandyke tied for the co-angler big-bass award. Each took home $355 for a 3-pound, 15-ounce bass.
Poirier is the Shenandoah Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1,042 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Brian Harold of McGaheysville, Va., is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 931 points.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Shenandoah Division will advance to regional competition presented by BC Powder Oct. 29-Nov. 2 on Wheeler Lake near Rogersville, Ala., where they will go up against top competitors from the Bulldog, LBL and Music City divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.
2002 BFL awards could reach $7 million based on full fields.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart BFL are Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet Foods, BC Powder, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, GARMIN, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, Stren, U.S. Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards.