Short nets victory at Wal-Mart BFL tournament on Lake Hamilton

Kevin Short of Mayflower, Ark., led the field of 120 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces at the BFL Arkie Division?s second regular-season stop, held March 22 on Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs, Ark. Angler: Kevin Short.

March 22, 2003 • MLF • Archives

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Kevin Short of Mayflower claimed $3,439 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division’s second regular-season stop, held Saturday on Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs. Short led the field of 120 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces.

Short’s catch topped second-place boater Al Fisher of Hackett by 1 pound, 9 ounces. Fisher finished the one-day tournament with a four-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces worth $1,720. Fisher earned a $500 bonus from Ranger for being the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. Fisher also earned $600 as the big-bass winner thanks to a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Eric Ambort of Mabelvale (four bass, 10 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,169); Tony Nesterenko of Little Rock (five bass, 10 pounds, 10 ounces, $894); and Adam Wright of Benton (five bass, 10 pounds, 2 ounces, $757).

Josh Tittle of Lake Village topped 119 Co-angler Division competitors with a four-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 1 ounce that earned him $1,738 for the win. Tittle also earned co-angler big-bass honors and $298 in his division with a 4-pound, 8-ounce bass.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Tommy Grant of Glenwood (four bass, 6 pounds, 2 ounces, $869); Brandon Jackson of Mount Ida (two bass, 5 pounds, 13 ounces, $591); Richard Murray of Conway (four bass, 5 pounds, 12 ounces, $452); and Adam Hurley of Alexander (four bass, 5 pounds, 2 ounces, $382).

The Arkie Division will make its third regular-season stop May 3 on Greers Ferry Lake in Greers Ferry followed by an event on the Arkansas River in Pine Bluff June 7. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 27-28 on Beaver Lake in Rogers. 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 Arkie Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on Red River near Natchitoches, La., where they will go up against top competitors from the Bama, 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.