Warfield tops Super Tournament on Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes

Benjamin Biller of Georgetown, Tenn., nets co-angler title

LENOIR CITY, Tenn. – Boater David Warfield of Dayton, Tenn., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division Super Tournament on Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes with a two-day catch of six bass weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces. The victory earned Warfield $4,836 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Clarks Hill Lake Regional Championship in Appling, Ga., Oct. 11-13, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Warfield caught his bass throwing a shaky head and a drop-shot rig near docks.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Ben Parker of Knoxville, Tenn. (five bass, 14-11, $2,845); Edward Parker of Johnson City, Tenn. (five bass, 13-11, $1,897); Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tenn. (eight bass, 13-1, $1,328) and Jonathan Pelfrey of Rockwood, Tenn. (seven bass, 13-0, $1,138).

Baker and Strader each took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $371 for a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass.

Benjamin Biller of Georgetown, Tenn., earned $2,845 as the co-angler winner thanks to four bass weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces that he caught while fishing a Zara Spook.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Junior Darnell of Mt. Carmel, Tenn. (three bass, 7-6, $1,422); Jeff McPherson of Knoxville, Tenn. (five bass, 7-3, $948); Bud McKelvey of Knoxville, Tenn. (four bass, 7-3, $664) and Johnny Patterson of Grant, Ala. (three bass, 5-14, $569).

McKelvey earned $371 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 3-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 Clarks Hill 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, call (270) 252-1000.