Chumley wins BFL Bama Division tournament

Tommy Chumley of Jasper, Ga., topped 195 BFL Boater Division competitors March 22 on Lake Martin with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 6 ounces. Angler: Tommy Chumley.

March 22, 2003 • MLF • Archives

ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. – Tommy Chumley of Jasper, Ga., topped 195 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Lake Martin with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 6 ounces. The catch earned him $4,910 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Chumley caught his limit sight-fishing with a jig. Chumley’s catch topped second-place boater Terry Tucker of Gadsden by 2 pounds, 14 ounces. Tucker finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces worth $2,455. Chumley earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger for being the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Mark Meyer of Hanceville (five bass, 15 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,670); Mike Keel of Auburn (five bass, 14 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,277); and Jason Nixon of Wetumpka (five bass, 14 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,080) rounded out the top five boaters.

Steve Burchfield of Rainbow City earned $975 as the boater big-bass winner thanks to a 5-pound, 15-ounce bass.

Robert Mozingo of Sylacauga claimed first place and $2,423 in the 191-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler Shane Patterson of Alexander City by 8 ounces. Patterson finished with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds, 4 ounces worth $1,212.

W. Skeeter Collins of Vinemont (five bass, 11 pounds, 3 ounces, $824); Larry Foshee of Pensacola, Fla. (five bass, 10 pounds, 4 ounces, $630); and Jared Radler of Northampton, Pa. (five bass, 10 pounds, 1 ounce, $533) rounded out the top five co-anglers.
Bryan Taylor of Alexander City earned big-bass honors and $478 in his division with a 7-pound, 6-ounce bass.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit West Point Lake April 12 for the second of five Bama Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 27-28 on Lake Guntersville, 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 Bama Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on the Red River near Natchitoches, La., where they will go up against top competitors from the Arkie, Cowboy and Gulf Coast 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.