Hurst wins Bama Division event on Alabama River

PRATTVILLE, Ala. – Tim Hurst of Oxford earned $4,404 Saturday as winner of the third regular-season Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Bama Division event, held on the Alabama River near Prattville. He caught five bass weighing 15 pounds, 11 ounces to claim the win and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Hurst caught his tournament-winning bass flipping a jig in the midlake area. He earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he also earned another $1,000 from Bombardier for using an Evinrude Direct Injection outboard.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Charles Cummings of Leeds (four bass, 11 pounds, 9 ounces, $2,202); James White of Millbrook (five bass, 10 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,497); Kent McNaughton of Greenville (three bass, 10 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,145); and Brian Merriman of Falkville (five bass, 9 pounds, 15 ounces, $969).

McNaughton earned $845 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner thanks to a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass he caught on a soft plastic.

Bill Champion of Demopolis claimed $2,202 as winner of the Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces that he caught on finesse worms in 8 to 10 feet of water.

Rounding out the top four co-anglers are Richard Hoobler of Dallas, Ga. (five bass, 12 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,101); Jerry Bearden of Ashville (four bass, 8 pounds, $749); and Jamie Amerson of Pine Mountain, Ga. (three bass, 7 pounds, 15 ounces, $573). Tied for fifth were Hal Murk of Sharpsburg, Ga. (four bass) and Stewart Duckworth of Vestavia (two bass). Both anglers caught 7 pounds, 5 ounces worth of bass to earn $440 each.

Derek Headley of Pelham caught a 4-pound, 9-ounce bass on a spinnerbait to claim $423 as the big-bass award winner in the Co-angler Division.

The Bama Division’s next stop will be July 17 on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, and the regular season will come to a close Sept. 25-26 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Martin in Alexander City.

Following the regular season, the top 30 boaters and 30 co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Lake Seminole regional near Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 5-9, where they will compete against anglers from the Gator, Mississippi and Piedmont divisions for one of six slots in the 2005 All-American. With a $100,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in competitive 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 Bama 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.