WHITTINGTON, Ill. – Mark Jordan of Kevil, Ky., topped 177 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Rend Lake with five bass weighing 16 pounds. The catch earned him $4,563 and 200 points in the Boater Division.
Jordan’s catch topped second-place boater Alan Spenner of Hoyleton by 1 pound, 2 ounces. Spenner finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces worth $2,285. Jordan also earned $1,000 from Bombardier for owning and using an Evinrude Direct Injection outboard. Spenner earned a $500 bonus from Ranger for being the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
James Tolley of Fredonia, Ky. (four bass, 11 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,554); Bobby McMullin of Pevely, Mo. (five bass, 9 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,188); and Bruce Qualls of Chaffee, Mo. (three bass, 9 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,005) rounded out the top five boaters.
Dennis Duffy of Westmont earned $885 as the big-bass winner thanks to a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass.
Aaron McManaway of Altamont earned $2,285 in the 177-competitor Co-angler Division with a four-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces. McManaway surpassed second-place co-angler Brian Sampson of Grantsburg by 3 pounds, 8 ounces. Sampson finished with a two-bass catch weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces worth $1,142.
Matt Wolfe of Collinsville placed third with a two-bass catch weighing 5 pounds, 11 ounces that earned him $777. Tied for fourth place were Rick Beck of Hopkinsville, Ky., and Roger Shaw of Urbana (two bass, 5 pounds, 2 ounces). Both earned $548 for their catch.
Jeff Wagner of O’Fallon earned big-bass honors and $443 in his division with a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass.
The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Lake Shelbyville May 17 for the second of five Illini Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 13-14 on the Ohio River, 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 Illini Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 14-18 on Old Hickory Lake near Gallatin, Tenn., where they will go up against top competitors from the Bulldog, Carolina and Hoosier 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.