Beaver takes BFL Super Tournament on Lake Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. – Rodger Beaver of Leesburg, Ga., topped 157 Boater Division competitors on Lake Eufaula this weekend with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 4 ounces. He earned $8,151 and 300 points for the win at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division season finale.
After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in 18th place with an opening-day catch of five bass weighing 9 pounds, 12 ounces, Beaver out-fished runner-up Curtis Nichols of Weston, Ga., by 12 ounces to take the win. Beaver caught his limit on day two using a white spinner bait.
Nichols qualified for the final round in first place with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 14 ounces and finished up with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces to win $4,076.
Brian Davis of Albany, Ga. (four bass, 13 pounds, 2 ounces, $2,208); Trey Rhodes of Newnan, Ga. (four bass, 12 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,868); and Frank Jordan Jr. of Bainbridge, Ga., (five bass, 11 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,528) rounded out the top five boaters.
Max Franklin of Phenix City, Ala., took boater big-bass honors and $1,570 for a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass. Davis earned a $500 bonus as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Chris Herren of Valley, Ala., topped 151 competitors in the Co-angler Division to take first place and $3,965 thanks to a final-round catch of five bass weighing 11 pounds, 9 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,983 went to Edwin Hunt of Duluth, Ga., with a five-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces, followed by Delmas Shipman of Fortson, Ga., in third place with three bass weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces worth $1,074.
Morrow won the co-angler big-bass award of $755 with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass.
Donald Eaton of Covington, Ga., is the Bulldog Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 930 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Hunt is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 962 points.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Bulldog 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 LBL, Music City and Shenandoah 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.
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