BAINBRIDGE, Ga. – The 2004 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division season kicked off Saturday on Lake Seminole near Bainbridge, and Terry Stevens of Marianna, Fla., claimed the win thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 30 pounds, 7 ounces. He bested 200 Boater Division competitors to earn $5,000 and 200 points.
Stevens caught his tournament-winning bass using a chartreuse crankbait.
Rounding out the top five boaters are David Johnson of Marianna, Fla. (five bass, 20 pounds, 3 ounces, $2,500); Felton Langley of Lafayette, Ala. (five bass, 18 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,700); Jim Blanchard of Albany (five bass, 16 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,300); and Jim Smith of Bowersville (three bass, 14 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,100).
Johnson also earned $500 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Roger Morrow of Griffin claimed Boater Division big-bass honors and $1,000 thanks to an 8-pound, 11-ounce bass that he caught on a Rat-L-Trap while fishing in Spring Creek. He finished the tournament in 20th place thanks to the catch.
Randall Lodge of Pelham earned $2,500 as the Co-angler Division winner thanks to a four-bass catch that weighed 25 pounds, 1 ounce. He edged past 200 Co-angler Division competitors thanks to an 8-inch, green pumpkin lizard that he was Carolina rigging in 6 to 8 feet of water.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are George Goodman Jr. of Monticello (five bass, 16 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,250); Frank Key of Columbus (three bass, 9 pounds, 14 ounces, $850); James Mathis of Columbus (two bass, 9 pounds, 9 ounces, $650); and Wayne Teal of Morrow (three bass, 9 pounds, 2 ounces, $550).
Michael Wright of Covington earned $500 as the Co-angler Division big-bass winner with an 8-pound bass that he caught on a Rat-L-Trap. He finished the tournament in seventh place thanks to the catch.
The Bulldog Division’s next stop will be April 24 on Clarks Hill Lake. Each BFL division features four one-day events followed by a two-day Super Tournament to round out the regular season. The top 30 Bulldog Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Wheeler Lake regional near Rogersville, Ala., Oct. 19-23, where they will compete against LBL, Mountain and Shenandoah division anglers for a slot in the 2005 All-American. The winning boater at the All-American receives $100,000 cash, making it one of the most lucrative and prestigious championship events in bass fishing.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. These points determine angler standings. The Bulldog Division boater who amasses the most points at the end of the regular season will earn $1,000 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, and the co-angler earning the most points will earn $500 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division.
The $6.3 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 24 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired, with boaters supplying the boat and fishing against other boaters and co-anglers fishing from the back deck against other co-anglers. For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or browse this Web site.
Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com’s sponsor page.