Ellis best BFL boater at Kentucky, Barkley lakes

Effinger, Peace tie for top spot in Co-angler Division

CADIZ, Ky. – Boater Tommy Ellis of Paris, Tenn., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League LBL Division tournament on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 26 pounds, 5 ounces. The victory earned Ellis $4,940 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Fort Loudon-Tellico Lakes Regional Championship in Lenoir City, Tenn., Oct. 18-20, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Ellis also took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $955 for a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass.

Ellis was throwing a combination of jigs and a Senko to catch his quality-sized tournament-limit of bass.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Ronald Peckenpaugh of Louisville, Ky., (five bass, 21-8, $2,906); Tony Roberts of Metropolis, Ill. (five bass, 21-1, $1,939); Ronnie Grant of Columbia, Ky., (five bass, 20-2, $1,356); and Donnie Williams of Paris, Tenn. (five bass, 19-14, $1,162).

Terry Bolton of Paducah, Ky., was the highest-placing participant in the Ranger Cup and Yamaha bonus programs.

Daniel Effinger of Evansville, Ind., and Gus Peace of Panama City, Fla., tied for first in the Co-angler Division, earning them each $2,179 Saturday thanks to five-bass limits that weighed 15 pounds, 13 ounces.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jaret Strickland of Newburgh, Ind. (five bass, 15-4, $971); Kevin McCullough of Greencastle, Ind., (four bass, 15-2, $678); and Dennis Taylor of Fulton, Ky. (five bass, 14-6, $581).

Doug Aebersold of Louisville, Ky., earned $477 as the co-angler Snickers Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 12-ounce bass.

All LBL Division events are held on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. The next event will be May 19 out of Paris Landing State Park in Paris, Tenn., followed by a tournament June 16 out of the Kenlake Marina in Aurora, Ky. The division’s final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 29-30 out of the Kentucky Dam Marina in Gilbertsville, Ky.

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 Fort Loudon-Tellico Lakes 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 241 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, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.