Hastings wins BFL Super Tournament on Lake Wylie

Boater Sean Hastings of Gastonia, N.C., caught eight bass weighing 21 pounds, 15 ounces to win the BFL Carolina Division Super Tournament, held Sept. 20-21 on Lake Wylie. Angler: Sean Hastings.

September 21, 2003 • MLF • Archives

LAKE WYLIE, S.C. – Sean Hastings of Gastonia, N.C., caught eight bass weighing 21 pounds, 15 ounces to win $6,846 at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Carolina Division Super Tournament, held this weekend on Lake Wylie near Lake Wylie. Hastings bested 118 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Bulldog Division event of the regular season.

Hastings caught five bass Saturday weighing 16 pounds to finish first on day one and followed that up Sunday with three bass weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces to earn the win. Hastings caught his bass tournament-winning bass on a jig in the lower end of the lake. He earned $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Mark Carpenter of Lincolnton, N.C. (10 bass, 21 pounds, 1 ounce); Scott Hamrick of Denver, N.C. (nine bass, 20 pounds, 12 ounces); Britt Myers of Mount Holly, N.C. (10 bass, 20 pounds, 10 ounces); and Larry Pearson of Cramerton, N.C. (10 bass, 20 pounds, 9 ounces).

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

Darrell W. Shull of West Columbia claimed $1,180 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass.

Michael Carson of Gastonia, N.C., led 118 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $3,423 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught one bass Saturday weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces to finish first and followed that up Sunday with four bass weighing 11 pounds, 1 ounce to earn the win. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a prop bait.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Carl Williams Sr. of Gastonia, N.C. (five bass, 11 pounds, 5 ounces); Marty Sweeting of Harrisburg, N.C. (four bass, 10 pounds, 8 ounces); Ricky Byrd of Independence, Va. (three bass, 9 pounds, 13 ounces); and Joe Manley of Wilmington, N.C. (five bass, 9 pounds, 5 ounces).

Byrd also took co-angler big-bass honors and $590 with a 4-pound, 13-ounce bass.

David Williams of Maiden, N.C., is the Carolina Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1030 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Harvey Harris of Lexington, N.C., is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 986 points.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Carolina 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, 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.