BFL Super Tournament on Lake Eufaula won by Millirons

Boater Derrick Millirons of Seale, Ala., caught 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 10 ounces to win the BFL Bulldog Division Super Tournament, held Sept. 20-21 on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula. Angler: Derrick Millirons.

September 21, 2003 • MLF • Archives

EUFAULA, Ala. – Derrick Millirons of Seale caught 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 10 ounces to win $8,099 at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division Super Tournament, held this weekend on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula. Millirons bested 156 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Bulldog Division event of the regular season.

Milliron caught five bass Saturday weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces to finish fourth on day one and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 12 pounds, 14 ounces to earn the win. Milliron caught his bass tournament-winning bass on a crankbait around ledges and timber. 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 Trey Rhodes of Newnan, Ga. (10 bass, 20 pounds); Mark Fletcher of Palmetto, Ga. (nine bass, 19 pounds, 14 ounces); Kenny Holloway of Eatonton, Ga. (seven bass, 19 pounds, 12 ounces); and Jeremy York of Loganville, Ga. (nine bass, 19 pounds, 11 ounces).

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

Tony Campbell of Newnan, Ga., claimed $1,560 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 9-pound, 8-ounce bass.

Joel Milner of Talbotton, Ga., led 156 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $4,050 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught four bass Saturday weighing 7 pounds to finish seventh and followed that up Sunday with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 15 ounces to earn the win. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a spinner bait.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Dennis Hudson of Fortson, Ga. (seven bass, 15 pounds); Derek McAfee of LaGrange, Ga. (six bass, 14 pounds, 14 ounces); Johnny Christian of Danielsville, Ga. (five bass, 13 pounds, 5 ounces); and Darin Mitchell of Rutledge, Ga. (five bass, 11 pounds, 13 ounces).

Mark Hebert of Dacula, Ga., took co-angler big-bass honors and $780 with a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass.

Rhodes is the Bulldog Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 933 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Edwin Hunt of Daluth, Ga., is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 994 points.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Bulldog Division will advance to regional competition presented by Yamaha Oct. 14-18 on Old Hickory near Gallatin, Tenn., where they will go up against top competitors from the Carolina, Hoosier and Illini 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.