Schoenrock takes Super Tournament on Columbus Lake - Major League Fishing

Schoenrock takes Super Tournament on Columbus Lake

Image for Schoenrock takes Super Tournament on Columbus Lake
Shan Schoenrock of Carrollton, Ala., topped 72 Boater Division competitors on Columbus Lake to earn $5,066 and 300 points for the win at the BFL Mississippi Division season finale. Angler: Shan Schoenrock.
September 22, 2002 • MLF • Archives

COLUMBUS, Miss. – Shan Schoenrock of Carrollton, Ala., topped 72 Boater Division competitors on Columbus Lake this weekend with a two-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces. He earned $5,066 and 300 points for the win at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Mississippi Division season finale.

After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in eighth place with an opening-day catch of five bass weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces, Schoenrock out-fished runner-up Matt Ferguson of Pontotoc, Miss., by 2 pounds, 11 ounces to take the win. Schoenrock caught his limit on day two using a spinner bait.

Ferguson qualified for the final round in sixth place with three bass weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces and finished up with a five-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 1 ounce to win $2,533. He also earned a $500 bonus as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Gene Brown of West Point, Miss. (five bass, 7 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,372); Jason Frederick of Booneville, Miss. (five bass, 6 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,161); and Danny Walden of Columbus, Miss., (four bass, 6 pounds, 10 ounces, $950) rounded out the top five boaters.

Murphy Downing of Hernando, Miss., took boater big-bass honors and $720 for a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass he caught on a buzzbait.

Joel Ross of Brandon, Miss., topped 72 competitors in the Co-angler Division to take first place and $2,533 during the BFL Mississippi Division season finale.Joel Ross of Brandon, Miss., topped 72 competitors in the Co-angler Division to take first place and $2,533 thanks to a final-round catch of five bass weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounce. Second place in the division and $1,266 went to John Breeden of Brandon, Miss., with a five-bass catch weighing 10 pounds, 5 ounces, followed by Skipper Livingston of West Point, Miss., in third place with three bass weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces worth $686.

Phillip Bedwell of Yazoo City, Miss., won the co-angler big-bass award of $360 with a 3-pound, 14-ounce bass.

Walden is the Mississippi Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1,061 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Ross is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 1,038 points.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Mississippi Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 22-26 on the Pearl River near Slidell, La., where they will go up against top competitors from the Arkie, Bama and Cowboy 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.