Hall nets win at BFL Super Tournament on Cayuga Lake

SENECA FALLS, N.Y. – Christopher Hall of Clarks Summit, Pa., caught 10 bass weighing 32 pounds, 12 ounces to win $7,079 at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Northeast Division Super Tournament, held this weekend on Cayuga Lake near Seneca Falls. Hall bested 126 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Northeast Division event of the regular season.

Hall caught five bass Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 14 ounces to finish second on day one and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces to earn the win. Hall caught his bass tournament-winning bass on a Senko in the Wells College area. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Hall also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Bob Salotti of Geneva (10 bass, 32 pounds, 10 ounces); Matt Matti of Olyphant, Pa. (10 bass, 29 pounds, 10 ounces); Eric Foltin of Lebanon, Pa. (10 bass, 28 pounds, 15 ounces); and Michael Trickler of Waterloo, N.Y. (10 bass, 28 pounds, 10 ounces).

Roy Goodwin of Ontario claimed $1,260 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass.

Edward Adams of Egg Harbor T P, N.J., led 126 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $3,540 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught five bass Saturday weighing 15 pounds, 1 ounce to finish fourth and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces to earn the win. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a green pumpkin Senko.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brian Keister of Sicklerville, N.J. (10 bass, 27 pounds, 3 ounces); Daniel Peterman of Falls Creek, Pa. (10 bass, 25 pounds, 1 ounce); Gary Olson of Lakewood (10 bass, 25 pounds); and J.R. Levis of Seneca Falls (eight bass, 22 pounds, 14 ounces).

Bill Spindler of Turnersville, N.J., took co-angler big-bass honors and $630 with a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass.

Mark Schafer of Williamstown, N.J., is the Northeast Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 953 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Lynn Baciuska of Afton is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 991 points.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Northeast Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 7-11 on Chautauqua Lake near Jamestown, N.Y., where they will go up against top competitors from the Buckeye, Michigan and Shenandoah 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.