Benson takes top slot in BFL event on Mississippi River

LA CROSSE, Wis. – Boater Jeff Benson of Holmen, Wis., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division tournament on the Mississippi River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 10 ounces. The victory earned Benson $4,169 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Mississippi River Regional Championship in Fort Madison, Iowa, Oct. 4-6, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Tim Pettit of Moline, Ill. (five bass, 16-4, $2,453); Robert Heilman of Dakota, Minn. (five bass, 15-15, $1,635); Chet Hawkins of La Crosse, Wis. (five bass, 15-9, $1,145) and Jim Johnson of La Crosse, Wis. (five bass, 14-8, $981).

Benson took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $740 for a 5-pound bass.

Josh Reynolds of Holmen, Wis., earned $2,453 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 6 ounces that he caught while throwing a crankbait near weeds.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are K.C. Scabley of Machesney Park, Ill. (five bass, 13-0, $1,226); Jamie Gomez of Onalaska, Wis. (five bass, 12-5, $816); Chad Smith of Erie, Ill. (five bass, 12-2, $572) and Brian Caulum of Holmen, Wis. (five bass, 12-1, $491).

Smith earned $370 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 8-ounce bass.

The Great Lakes Division’s next event will be June 30 on Lake Winneconne in Winneconne, Wis., followed by a tournament July 21 on the Mississippi River in Wabasha, Minn. The division’s fourth event will be held Aug. 11 on Prairie Du Chien in Prairie Du Chien, Wis., and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 8-9 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis.

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 Mississippi River 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.