BFL Super Tournament on Patoka Lake won by Hentrup

JASPER, Ind. – Charlie Hentrup of New Albany caught seven bass weighing 19 pounds, 13 ounces to win $6,672 at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Hoosier Division Super Tournament, held this weekend on Patoka Lake near Jasper. Hentrup bested 115 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Hoosier Division event of the regular season.

Hentrup caught three bass Saturday weighing 10 pounds, 13 ounces to finish second on day one and followed that up Sunday with four bass weighing 9 pounds to earn the win. Hentrup caught his bass tournament-winning bass on a watermelon tube in the main lake.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Bruce Mathews of Memphis (seven bass, 16 pounds, 14 ounces); Todd Hensley of New Albany (six bass, 15 pounds, 7 ounces); Curt Hughes of Greenwood (five bass, 15 pounds); and Steve Floyd of Sabina, Ohio (four bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces).

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

Hentrup and Leroy McGregor of Vincennes tied for the Boater Division big-bass award with a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass. Each claimed $575 for their catch.

Todd Davis of Eaton, Ohio, led 114 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $3,364 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught five bass Saturday weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces to finish first and followed that up Sunday with one bass weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces to earn the win. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a brown tube.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Roger Crain of Winchester, Ky. (five bass, 14 pounds, 10 ounces); Ed Rachford of Sellersburg (three bass, 11 pounds, 2 ounces); Stan Evans of Newburgh (four bass, 11 pounds, 2 ounces); and Ray Olsen of Memphis (four bass, 9 pounds, 1 ounces).

Rachford also took co-angler big-bass honors and $570 with a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass.

Ryan Deal of Haubstadt is the Hoosier Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1005 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Larry Kitchel of Logansport is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 1009 points.

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