Lokken best Super Tournament boater on Old Hickory

GALLATIN, Tenn. – Boater Jeff Lokken of Lebanon, Tenn., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Music City Division Super Tournament on Old Hickory Lake with a two-day catch of seven bass weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces. The victory earned Lokken $4,253 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Fort Loudoun-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.

Lokken caught his bass fishing a Berkley Power Shaky Worm in and around milfoil.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Adam Wagner of Cookeville, Tenn. (six bass, 13-2, $2,502); William Merrick of Lavergne, Tenn. (five bass, 12-2, $1,666); Loyd Smith of Westmoreland, Tenn. (eight bass, 11-10, $1,168); and Gary Martin of Elizabethtown, Ky. (five bass, 10-3, $1,001).

Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tenn., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $615 for a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass that he caught on a green jig near an isolated tree.

Pete Williams of Murfreesboro, Tenn., earned $2,502 as the co-angler winner thanks to four bass weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces that he caught while fishing a Strike King lizard near woods and docks.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jeff Wheeley of Lafayette, Tenn. (four bass, 8-5, $1,251); Jim Gunn of Nashville, Tenn. (five bass, 8-1, $834); Mark Pirkle of Cleveland, Tenn. (four bass, 7-0, $584); and Mike Twitty of Mt. Juliet, Tenn. (three bass, 6-13, $500).

Jeff Minchey of Westmoreland, Tenn., earned $307 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 4-ounce bass that he caught on a jig in and around milfoil.

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 Walmart.com.

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