Chandler wins BFL Super Tournament on Guntersville Lake

James Chandler of Harvest, Ala., caught nine bass weighing 34 pounds, 14 ounces to win the Boater Division of the BFL Choo Choo Division Super Tournament, held Sept. 6-7 on Guntersville Lake near Guntersville.

September 7, 2003 • MLF • Archives

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – James Chandler of Harvest caught nine bass weighing 34 pounds, 14 ounces to win $8,217 at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division Super Tournament, held this weekend on Guntersville Lake near Guntersville. Chandler bested 160 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Choo Choo Division event of the regular season.

Chandler caught four bass Saturday weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces to finish 18th on day one and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 21 pounds, 6 ounces to earn the win.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Randall Tharp of Gardendale (10 bass, 33 pounds, 9 ounces); O.B. Wilborn of Stevenson (10 bass, 33 pounds, 8 ounces); Mark Rizk of Arab (nine bass, 31 pounds, 9 ounces); and Edward Gettys of Stevenson (10 bass, 30 pounds, 6 ounces).

As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Gettys also claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats.

Shawn Strader of Rockwood, Tenn., claimed $1,600 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with an 8-pound, 12-ounce bass.

Davey Lance of Hartselle led 149 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $3,961 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught three bass Saturday weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces to finish 27th and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces to earn the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Mike Keel of Auburn (seven bass, 20 pounds, 14 ounces); Ben Jones of Leeds (five bass, 18 pounds, 5 ounces); Chris Pohl of Owens Cross Roads (five bass, 17 pounds, 6 ounces); and Danny Moss of Glencoe (six bass, 16 pounds, 14 ounces).

Scotty Strickland of Dallas, Ga., took co-angler big-bass honors and $745 with a 7-pound, 7-ounce bass.

Craig Daniel of Cullman is the Choo Choo Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1,009 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Jerry McCafferty of Muscle Shoals is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 1,066 points.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Choo Choo Division will advance to regional competition presented by Yamaha Oct. 21-25 on Clark Hill Lake near Thomson, Ga., where they will go up against top competitors from the Gator, Mountain and Piedmont divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.

The BFL comprises 24 divisions nationwide, each featuring five regular-season events that lead to one of six regionals. Four of the regular-season tournaments are one-day events, while the final event, a Super Tournament, is a two-day tournament that will award as much as $70,950 to participating anglers. Anglers who enter all five regular-season events in a division but do not advance to a regional may enter the Chevy Trucks Wild Card for a shot at qualifying for the All-American. The All-American field comprises 84 competitors – six boaters and six co-anglers from six regionals plus six boaters and six co-anglers from the Wild Card.

As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the EverStart Series and ultimately the Wal-Mart FLW Tour – bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament series. Each year the top 30 boaters and co-anglers from each BFL division are eligible to advance to the EverStart Series, and the All-American champions are eligible for Wal-Mart FLW Tour competition. The top 15 pros and co-anglers from the Central, Eastern and Northern divisions of the EverStart Series (top 10 from the Western Division) are eligible to advance to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour. Former BFL anglers who have become fishing superstars on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour include Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt, Chevy pro Tommy Biffle and four-time FLW Tour champion David Fritts.