Johnson takes Toledo Bend

Dietrich wins Co-angler Division

HEMPHILL, Texas – Boater Jimmie Johnson of Greenwell Springs, La., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Louisiana Division tournament on Toledo Bend Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces. The victory earned Johnson $3,020 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Wright Patman Regional Championship in Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Johnson was throwing a Carolina rig in 15-25 feet of water targeting creek channel swings and other offshore structure.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Dusty Anders of Pineville, La. (five bass, 17-11, $1,777); Bill England of Denham Springs, La. (five bass, 16 pounds, $1,185); Harley Wilson of Beckville, Texas (five bass, 15-9, $829) and Bobby Templet of Baton Rouge, La., (five bass, 14-9, $711).

Templet also took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning him an additional $455 for a 6-pound, 14-ounce bass he caught on lipless crankbait.

Richard Dietrich of Port Allen, La., earned $1,693 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 10 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught while fishing a Carolina rig in 35 to 40 feet of water.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Bill McCarty of Morgan City, La. (four bass, 10-4, $846); Kirby Herbert of New Iberia, La. (four bass, 9 pounds, $564); Ricardo Benitez of Folsom, La. (three bass, 7-11, $395) and Kevin Boyd of Marrero, La. (three bass, 7-9, $339).

Edward Young Jr. of Walker, La., earned $212 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass.

The Louisiana Division’s next event will be March 10 on the Atchafalaya Basin in Morgan City, La., followed by tournament April 28 on Bayou Black in Gibson, La. The division’s fourth event will be held May 19 on the Red River in Natchitoches, La., and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 22-23 on the Atchafalaya Basin in Morgan City, La.

Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Wright Patman Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the 2008 All-American presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million, a potential $140,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and as much as $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport’s biggest championship.

The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 28 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired. Boaters supply the boat and fish from the front deck against other boaters while co-anglers compete 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, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, 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 will offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 238 events in 2007.

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.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.