Thompson wins BFL Super Tournament on Lake Hamilton

Wilson wins Co-angler Division

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Boater Tommy Thompson of Benton, Ark., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Super Tournament on Lake Hamilton with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 15 pounds. The victory earned Thompson $5,109 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Wright Patman Lake Regional Championship in Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Thompson caught his bass shallow throwing a Zoom Horny Toad on a Carolina rig.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Matthew Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark. (10 bass, 14-6, $3,006); Jason Wooten of Clinton, Ark. (eight bass, 13-8, $2,002); Keith Green of Arkadelphia, Ark. (10 bass, 12-14, $1,403) and Adam Wright of Benton, Ark. (nine bass, 12-12, $1,202).

Wooten took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $825 for a 3-pound, 7-ounce bass that he caught on a red and white buzzbait.

Blake Wilson of Prattsville, Ark., earned $3,006 as the co-angler winner thanks to seven bass weighing 11 pounds, 14 ounces that he caught while fishing a Case Plastic Salty Sink’n Minnow over humps.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jonathan Johnson of Hot Springs, Ark. (seven bass, 9-7, $1,503); Justin Lancaster of Plainview, Ark. (six bass, 8-15, $1,004); Keeton Blaylock of Benton, Ark. (seven bass, 8-14, $701) and Jesse Mitchell of Malvern, Ark. (six bass, 8-0, $601).

Yancy Parker of Elkins, Ark., earned $412 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 10-ounce bass that he caught throwing a jig in creek channels.

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 Wright Patman 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, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.