BFL Mountain Division tournament won by Smith

Rusty Smith of Somerset, Ky., topped 187 BFL pro competitors March 15 on Cumberland Lake with five bass weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces. Angler: Rusty Smith.

March 15, 2003 • MLF • Archives

MONTICELLO, Ky. – Rusty Smith of Somerset topped 187 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Cumberland Lake with five bass weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces. The catch earned him $4,746 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Smith caught his limit on a jig in an area of shallow stumps. His catch topped second-place boater Tom Hill of Lexington by 13 ounces. Hill finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces worth $2,373.

Jeff Coots of Yeaddiss (five bass, 8 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,613); Jeffery Lewis of East Bernstadt (five bass, 7 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,234); and David Morris of Nicholasville (two bass, 7 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,044) rounded out the top five boaters.

Lewis earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats for being the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. Billy Hough of Morehead earned $935 as the big-bass winner thanks to a 4-pound, 13-ounce bass.

Don Smith of Brodhead claimed first place and $2,373 in the 187-competitor Co-angler Division with two bass weighing 7 pounds, 14 ounces. Smith was fishing with a deep Suspending Rogue on the lower end of the lake. He surpassed second-place co-angler Jordan Card of Lafollette, Tenn., by 10 ounces. Card finished with a three-bass catch weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces worth $1,186.

Jim Hallett of Springboro, Ohio (five bass, 6 pounds, 15 ounces, $807) and Randy Brown of Irvine (three bass, 5 pounds, 8 ounces, $617) rounded out the top four co-anglers. Tied for fifth were Allan Stephens of Florence and Page Powers of Unicoi, Tenn. Each caught two bass weighing 5 pounds to earn $475.

Michael Powell Jr. of Cincinnati earned big-bass honors and $468 in his division with a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Dale Hollow Lake April 12 for the second of five Mountain Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 27-28 on Cherokee 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 Mountain Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on Clark Hill Lake near Thomson, Ga., where they will go up against top competitors from the Choo Choo, Gator and Piedmont 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.

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