Whaley wins BFL Super Tournament on Clarks Hill Lake

John Cook of Matthews, N.C., takes home co-angler title

THOMSON, Ga. – Boater Trad Whaley of Abbeville, S.C., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division Super Tournament on Clarks Hill Lake with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds. The victory earned Whaley $5,248 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship in Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Whaley caught his bass throwing a spinnerbait and buzzbait near creeks.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Tim Rhyne of Inman, S.C. (nine bass, 21-7, $3,088); Kim Carver of Milledgeville, Ga. (10 bass, 21-1, $2,060); John Axsom of Gray Court, S.C. (nine bass, 20-8, $1,441) and Kenneth Miles of Evans, Ga. (10 bass, 19-15, $1,235).

James Edwards of Greenville, S.C., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $847 for a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass that he caught on a spinnerbait in hydrilla.

John Cook of Matthews, N.C., earned $3,088 as the co-angler winner thanks to seven bass weighing 13 pounds that he caught while fishing a spinnerbait near grassy banks close to shore.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Tony Holbrooks of Franklin, N.C. (six bass, 11-8, $1,544); Jeremy Smith of Plant City, Fla. (eight bass, 11-3, $1,030); Greg Glouse of Easley, S.C. (six bass, 10-12, $720) and William Hooker of Appling, Ga. (eight bass, 10-4, $618).

Brad Poole of Lawrenceville, Ga., earned $424 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 13-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 Lake Seminole 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.