Beachy best boater at BFL Cowboy Division tournament

Myron Beachy of Baytown, Texas, won the BFL Cowboy Division's second regular-season stop, held March 29 on Toledo Bend near Many. Beachy led the field of 196 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 22 pounds. Angler: Myron Beachy.

March 29, 2003 • MLF • Archives

MANY, La. – Myron Beachy of Baytown, Texas, claimed $4,935 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Cowboy Division’s second regular-season stop, held Saturday on Toledo Bend near Many. Beachy led the field of 196 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 22 pounds.

Beachy surpassed second-place boater Archie Hayley of Mount Vernon, Texas, by 11 ounces. Hayley finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 21 pounds, 5 ounces worth $2,468. Beachy also earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

Rounding out the top five boaters are G.T. Cantrell of Pasadena, Texas (five bass, 19 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,678); Rusty Clark of Buna, Texas (five bass, 17 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,283); and Chris Wilkerson of Livingston, Texas (five bass, 17 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,086). As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Wilkerson also claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats.

Nobie Lebert of Brookeland, Texas topped 196 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce. Lebert earned $2,468 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Scott Burton of McKinney, Texas (five bass, 17 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,234); Larry Matthews of League City, Texas(five bass, 15 pounds, 5 ounces, $839); Leslie Kercheval of Hemphill, Texas (four bass, 14 pounds, 10 ounces, $642); and Chris Achee of Lafayette (five bass, 13 pounds, 8 ounces, $543).

Clark earned boater big-bass honors and $980 with a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass, and Kercheval earned co-angler big-bass honors and $490 in his division with a 6-pound, 11-ounce bass.

The Cowboy Division will make its third regular-season stop April 26 on Lake Livingston in Huntsville, Texas, followed by an event on Toledo Bend in Hemphill, Texas, June 28. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 20-21 on Sam Rayburn in Brookeland, Texas. 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 Cowboy Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on the Red River near Natchitoches where they will go up against top competitors from the Arkie, Bama 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.