Morgan wins Wal-Mart BFL event on Red River

NATCHITOCHES, La. – Boater Trey Morgan of Goldonna, La., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Louisiana Division tournament on the Red River Saturday with a four-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned Morgan $2,912 plus a $513 Ranger contingency bonus and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Wright Patman Lake Regional Championship in Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Marvin Etteredge of Shreveport, La. (five bass, 13-5, $1,427); Glenn Robertson of Shreveport, La. (five bass, 13-5, $1,427); Ken Starks of Natchez, La. (five bass, 12-10, $799); and Brett Sellers of Baton Rouge, La. (five bass, 11-14, $685).

Sellers also took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $430 for a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass.

Alvin Pennison of Morgan City, La., earned $1,713 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to four bass weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Christopher Chenevert of Pineville, La. (five bass, 7-10, $713); Bart Domingue of Pierre Part, La. (five bass, 7-10, $713); Gary Mumphrey of Gonzales, La. (two bass, 6-9, $400); and Gary Fields of Donaldsonville, La. (three bass, 5-14, $343).

Mumphrey also earned $215 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass.

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 Lake 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.