Laiche lands Louisiana Division victory

Jamie Laiche of Gonzales, La., topped 77 BFL boaters April 5 on Bayou Segnette with five bass weighing 26 pounds, 15 ounces. Angler: Jamie Laiche.

April 5, 2003 • MLF • Archives

WESTWEGO, La. – Jamie Laiche of Gonzales topped 77 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Bayou Segnette with five bass weighing 26 pounds, 15 ounces. The catch earned him $2,608 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Laiche’s catch topped second-place boater Kevin Voisin of Morgan City by 9 pounds, 14 ounces. Voisin finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounce worth $1,304. Laiche also earned $385 as the big-bass winner, thanks to a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass.

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

Bill Hardman of Metairie (five bass, 15 pounds, $887); Scott Roussel of La Place (five bass, 13 pounds, 5 ounces, $678); and Jody Floyd of Greenwell Springs (five bass, 11 pounds, 10 ounces, $574) rounded out the top five boaters.

Alan Yedor of Gretna topped the 77-competitor Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 1 ounce. Yedor earned $1,304 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Gary Paline of Watson (five bass, 10 pounds, 10 ounces, $652); Steve McCoy of Denham Springs (five bass, 10 pounds, 1 ounce, $443); Lucas Zimmerman of St. Amant (two bass, 8 pounds, 6 ounces, $339); and Charles Bourque of Gonzales (three bass, 7 pounds, 15 ounces, $287).

Zimmerman earned big-bass honors and $193 in his division with a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit the Red River June 14 for the fourth of five Louisiana Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 13-14 on Atchafalaya Basin, 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 Louisiana Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 7-11 on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula, Ala., where they will go up against top competitors from the Mississippi, Music City and Savannah River 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.

Editor’s Note: Ranger Cup award winners are pending verification by Ranger Boats and thus are unofficial at this time.