Hammarstrom tops BFL Mississippi Division tournament

David Hammarstrom of Brandon, Miss., topped more than 130 BFL competitors Feb. 15 on Ross Barnett Reservoir with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces. Angler: David Hammarstrom.

February 15, 2003 • MLF • Archives

BRANDON, Miss. – David Hammarstrom of Brandon topped more than 130 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Ross Barnett Reservoir with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces. The catch earned him $3,961 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Hammarstrom caught his limit on a black buzzbait in shallow water. The catch topped second-place boater Jason Davis of Jackson by 3 pounds, 8 ounces. Davis finished the one-day tournament with a three-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces worth $1,980. Hammarstrom received a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program and another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

Joel Barber of Brandon (three bass, 14 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,347); Kenny Churchill of Jackson (four bass, 13 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,030); and Matt Ferguson of Pontotoc (five bass, 12 pounds, 12 ounces, $871) rounded out the top five boaters.

Jimmy Mize of Brandon earned boater big-bass honors and $725 with a 7-pound bass that he caught on a Brush Hog in chartreuse and pumpkin colors. He finished in 13th place overall with two bass weighing 8 pounds, 13 ounces.

Russell Hathcock of Bartlett, Tenn., claimed first place and $1,926 in the 130-plus-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 8 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler Stephen Hudson of Purvis by 5 pounds, 1 ounce thanks to a spinner bait and a Brush Hog that he was throwing to lily pads. Hudson finished with a one-bass catch weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces worth $963.

Wesley Wheat of Meridian (two bass, 6 pounds, 6 ounces, $655); John Saszoski of Jackson (two bass, 5 pounds, 11 ounces, $501); and James Galbreath of Cordova, Tenn. (two bass, 5 pounds, 6 ounces, $424) rounded out the top five co-anglers.

Hudson earned big-bass honors and $353 in his division with a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Pickwick Lake March 22 for the second of five Mississippi Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 6-7 on Ross Barnett, 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 Mississippi Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 7-11 on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula, Ala., where they will go up against top competitors from the Louisiana, Music City and Savannah River divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.

As much as $6 million will be awarded in the 2003 Wal-Mart BFL.

For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or browse this Web site.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please browse this Web site.

Editor’s Note: Ranger Cup award winners are pending verification by Ranger Boats and thus are unofficial at this time.