Bohannan wins Super Tournament on Lake of the Ozarks

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. – Boater Greg Bohannan of Rogers, Ark., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Ozark Division Super Tournament on Lake of the Ozarks with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 4 ounces. The victory earned Bohannan $5,295 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.

Bohannan caught his bass throwing a War Eagle spinnerbait.

Rounding out the top five boaters are James Dill of Laurie, Mo. (10 bass, 26-6, $3,115); Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Mo. (10 bass, 24-14, $2,077); Mike Riley of Jefferson City, Mo. (nine bass, 23-15, $1,454); and Lester Martin of Phillipsburg, Mo. (eight bass, 23-14, $1,246).

Martin also took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $855 for a 5-pound bass.

James Leach of Independence, Mo., earned $3,115 as the co-angler winner thanks to seven bass weighing 19 pounds, 13 ounces that he caught while fishing a shaky head worm in and around submerged brush.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Dustin Back of Galena, Mo. (eight bass, 18-7, $1,557); Dan Sutton of St. Charles, Mo. (six bass, 18-3, $1,040); Mike Winthorst of Jefferson City, Mo. (seven bass, 15-14, $727); and Blase Frick of St. Louis, Mo. (five bass, 15-8, $623).

Clem Schmidt of Batesville, Ind., earned $427 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass.

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.