Walters best boater at Bama Division tournament

Larry Walters of Tuscaloosa won the BFL Bama Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held June 28 on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula. Walters led the field of 145 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces. Angler: Larry Walters.

June 28, 2003 • MLF • Archives

EUFAULA, Ala. – Larry Walters of Tuscaloosa claimed $3,961 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Bama Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held Saturday on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula. Walters led the field of 145 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces.

Walters caught his bass Saturday using a spinner bait. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Walters also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats, and he earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Charles Cummings of Leeds (five bass, 15 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,980); Randy Herren of Valley (four bass, 15 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,347); Patrick Brown of Swainsboro, Ga. (five bass, 13 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,030); and Jeromey Mason of Columbiana (five bass, 13 pounds, 12 ounces, $871).

Scott Curvin of Jacksonville topped 145 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught flipping a jig. Curvin earned $1,980 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are David Smith of Calhoun, Ga. (five bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces, $990); Brian Martin of Oxford (five bass, 12 pounds, 14 ounces, $673); Brent Nelson of Acworth, Ga. (five bass, 12 pounds, 6 ounces, $515); and Norman Brown of Chatsworth, Ga. (four bass, 11 pounds, 12 ounces, $436).

Richard Grantham of Columbus, Ga., earned boater big-bass honors and $725 with a 6-pound, 11-ounce bass, and Charles Isbell of Odenville earned co-angler big-bass honors and $363 in his division with a 7-pound, 12-ounce bass.

The Bama Division’s final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 27-28 on Guntersville Lake in Guntersville. 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 Bama Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on the Red River near Natchitoches, La., where they will go up against top competitors from the Arkie, 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.

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