Russell best boater in Super Tournament on Kentucky, Barkley lakes

BENTON, Ky. – Boater Bill Russell of Lebanon Junction, Ky., earned 300 points and $7,138 Sunday as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League LBL Division Super Tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes.

Russell’s two-day winning catch of eight bass weighed 29 pounds, 14 ounces.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Walter Owens of Hodgenville, Ky. (nine bass, 25 pounds, 9 ounces, $3,569); John Sullivan of Taylorsville, Ky. (seven bass, 25 pounds, 7 ounces, $2,378); Ramie Colson Jr. of Cadiz, Ky. (nine bass, 24 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,666); and Scott Brummett of Brentwood, Tenn. (eight bass, 22 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,428).

Sullivan also took home an additional $500 for being the highest-placing Ranger Cup participant.

Jeff Siress of Benton, Ky., won the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award with a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass that earned him $1,065.

Tom Ballowe of Paducah, Ky., earned $3,569 as the co-angler winner thanks to six bass weighing 20 pounds, 8 ounces.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are David Morris of Nicholasville, Ky. (seven bass, 19 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,785); Jacob Zeigler of Herrin, Ill. (seven bass, 19 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,191); Richard Holt II of Camden, Tenn. (five bass, 13 pounds, 13 ounces, $833); and Ted Frisch of Middletown, Ohio (five bass, 13 pounds, 9 ounces, $714).

Ben Jackson of Paducah, Ky., earned $532 as the co-angler Snickers Big Bass winner with a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.

The top 40 LBL Division boaters and 40 co-anglers, based on year-end points standings, will now advance to the no-entry-fee Lake Chickamauga Regional Championship near Hixson, Tenn., Oct. 12-14, where they will compete against Bulldog, Dixie and Music City division anglers for a new Ranger boat, as well as a Chevy truck in the Boater Division, plus six slots in the no-entry-fee 2007 Wal-Mart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million and a potential $140,000 cash going to the winning boater and $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing.

The Boater Division points champion who advances the farthest at the All-American will earn $10,000 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points champion. The co-angler points champion who advances the farthest will earn $5,000 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points champion in the Co-angler Division.

For complete LBL Division standings, visit FLWOutdoors.com.

The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 28 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.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Stratos Owners’ Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $37.9 million through 249 events in 2006.

For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or visit FLWOutdoors.com.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.