Staley takes Music City Division title

Tim Staley of Dowelltown, Tenn., won the BFL Music City Division's second regular-season stop, held April 5 on Center Hill Lake near Silver Point. Angler: Tim Staley.

April 5, 2003 • MLF • Archives

SILVER POINT, Tenn. – Tim Staley of Dowelltown claimed $3,229 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Music City Division’s second regular-season stop, held Saturday on Center Hill Lake near Silver Point. Staley led the field of 106 boaters with a four-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Chip Rush of Springfield (five bass, 18 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,615); Sam Lashlee of Camden (five bass, 17 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,098); Terry Steele of Cookeville (five bass, 15 pounds, 15 ounces, $840); and Rusty Smith of Somerset, Ky. (five bass, 14 pounds, 2 ounces, $710).

Rush also claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Bobby Whitson of Brentwood topped 106 Co-angler Division competitors with a four-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces that he caught with a spinner bait. Whitson earned $1,615 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brent Sain of Manchester (five bass, 11 pounds, 6 ounces, $807); Phillip White of Kingston Springs (five bass, 11 pounds, $549); Jeff Emerton of Hilham (five bass, 10 pounds, 11 ounces, $420); and Paul Flatt of Cookeville (five bass, 10 pounds, 4 ounces, $355).

Rush earned boater big-bass honors and $530 with a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass, and Charles Hatchiff of Murfreesboro earned co-angler big-bass honors and $265 in his division with a 5-pound bass.

The Music City Division will make its third regular-season stop May 3 on Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin followed by an event on Kentucky and Barkley lakes June 28. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 20-21 on Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin. 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 Music City 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 Louisiana, Mississippi 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.