White named winner of Ozark Division tournament

David White of Pierce City, Mo., topped 201 BFL pro competitors March 15 on Grand Lake with one bass weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces. Angler: David White.

March 15, 2003 • MLF • Archives

GROVE, Okla. – David White of Pierce City, Mo., topped 201 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Grand Lake with one bass weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces. The catch earned him $5,000 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

White’s catch topped second-place boater Brady Meredith of Fayetteville, Ark., by 10 ounces. Meredith finished the one-day tournament with a two-bass catch weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces worth $2,500. White also earned $1,000 as the big-bass winner thanks to his 8-pound, 6-ounce bass.

Bob Harter of Tulsa (two bass, 7 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,700); Tyrone Uhlir of Gilbert, Ariz. (two bass, 6 pounds, $1,300); and Eddy May of Valley Center, Kan. (two bass, 5 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,100) rounded out the top five boaters.

Harter earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats for being the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Tyler Mills of Norwood, Mo., claimed first place and $2,574 in the 200-competitor Co-angler Division with two bass weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler James Marion of Tulsa by 2 pounds, 2 ounces. Marion finished with a two-bass catch weighing 5 pounds, 1 ounce worth $1,324.

David Riley of Ava, Mo. (one bass, 4 pounds, 10 ounces, $924); Nick Pinion of Webb City, Mo. (two bass, 3 pounds, 12 ounces, $724); and Larry Simons of Nixa, Mo. (one bass, 2 pounds, 13 ounces, $624) rounded out the top five co-anglers.

Riley earned big-bass honors and $500 in his division with his 4-pound, 10-ounce bass.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Lake of the Ozarks April 12 for the second of five Ozark Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 13-14 on Table Rock 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 Ozark Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 14-18 on Beaver Lake near Rogers, Ark., where they will go up against top competitors from the Okie, LBL and Great Lakes 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.