BFL Carolina Division tournament taken by Myers

Britt Myers of Mount Holly, S.C., led the field of 158 boaters with a two-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces at the BFL Carolina Division's second regular-season stop, held March 22 on Lake Wateree near Camden. Angler: Britt Myers.

March 22, 2003 • MLF • Archives

CAMDEN, S.C. – Britt Myers of Mount Holly claimed $4,206 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Carolina Division’s second regular-season stop, held Saturday on Lake Wateree near Camden. Myers led the field of 158 boaters with a two-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces.

Myers’s catch topped second-place boater Micah Bennett of Summerville by 4 ounces. Bennett finished the one-day tournament with a two-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 14 ounces worth $2,103. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Myers also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats, and he earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

Finishing third was Keith Kirby of Gaffney (three bass, 8 pounds, $1,430) followed by Michael Simpson of Millers Creek, N.C. (two bass, 7 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,093) in fourth. Tied for fifth were Artie Phillips of Monroe, N.C. (one bass, 6 pounds, 4 ounces) and Dennis Shumate of Camden (two bass, 6 pounds, 4 ounces). Each won $841 for their catch. Phillips also earned boater big-bass honors and $790 with a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass.

Joel Wilkins of Blacksburg topped 157 Co-angler Division competitors with a two-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces, earning him $2,159 for the win. Wilkins also earned co-angler big-bass honors and $393 in his division with a 6-pound bass.

Finishing second was Billy Medlin of Apex, N.C. (one bass, 5 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,114), and tied for third were Arthur Brown of Lincolnton, N.C., and Kerry Murphy of Mooresville, N.C., with two bass weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces that earned each of them $695. David Clemmons of Rock Hill finished fifth with two bass weighing 4 pounds, 15 ounces that earned him $529.

The Carolina Division will make its third regular-season stop April 12 on Lake Hartwell in Seneca followed by an event on the Santee Cooper lakes in Manning May 10. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 20-21 on Lake Wylie in Lake Wylie. Following the regular season, the boater with the most points will be declared the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler with the most points following the regular season will earn $500.

The top 30 Carolina Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 14-18 on Old Hickory Lake near Gallatin, Tenn., where they will go up against top competitors from the Bulldog, Hoosier and Illini 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.