Latimer wins Wal-Mart BFL event on Lake Hartwell

CLEMSON, S.C. – Boater Brian Latimer of Belton, S.C., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division tournament on Lake Hartwell Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 9 ounces. The victory earned Latimer $4,197 plus a $740 Ranger bonus and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship in Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Latimer won the tournament by sight-fishing on the south end of the lake.

Rounding out the top five boaters are David Williams of Marshall, N.C. (five bass, 19-11, $2,469); Greg Willimon of Pickens, S.C. (five bass, 18-10, $1,646); James Edwards of Greenville, S.C. (five bass, 18-7, $1,152); and Keith Hutto of Augusta, Ga. (five bass, 17-15, $988).

Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., and Doni Carnes of Comer, Ga., split the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, each earning $372 for a pair of 5-pound, 8-ounce bass.

Vince Smith of Walhalla, S.C., earned $2,469 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 17 pounds, 3 ounces that he caught while focusing on schooling fish in the lower lake near the dam.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Bobby Wade of Gaffney, S.C. (five bass, 15-12, $1,235); James Hinson of Winterville, Ga. (five bass, 13-6, $823); Charles Harbin of Anderson, S.C. (five bass, 13-4, $576); and John Garrison of Aiken, S.C. (five bass, 11-14, $494).

Smith earned $372 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.

The Savannah River Division’s next event will be June 16 on Lake Russell in Elberton, Ga. The final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 29-30 on Clarks Hill in Thompson, Ga.

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 Lake Seminole 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 Walmart.com.

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