Wright Patman Lake to host BFL Regional

TEXARKANA, Texas – The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League will visit Wright Patman Lake near Texarkana, Texas, Oct. 25-27 for one of seven no-entry-fee Regional Championships. During the tournament, hosted by Texarkana Chamber of Commerce, top anglers from the Arkie, Cowboy, Louisiana and Okie divisions will compete for a $60,000 prize package that includes a new Chevy truck and Ranger 519VX powered by Evinrude or Yamaha in the Boater Division and a $40,000 Ranger 519VX powered by Evinrude or Yamaha in the Co-angler Division.

Boater Matthew Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark., and co-angler Ray Cates of Texarkana, Ark., will lead the Arkie qualifiers on Wright Patman Lake while boater Charles Bebber of Willis, Texas, and co-angler Brian Shook of Lumberton, Texas, lead the Cowboy Division contingent. Boater Mark Richard of Bridge City, La., and co-angler Troy West of Prairieville, La., are the No. 1 qualifiers from the Louisiana Division, and boater Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., and co-angler Wade Garcia of Alma, Ark., are the top qualifiers from the Okie Division.

Overall, 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers qualified from each of these divisions for a total field of 160 boats on Wright Patman Lake. The anglers qualified for the Regional Championship through a series of four one-day tournaments and a two-day Super Tournament in each of their respective divisions.

North Shore Park, located at U.S. 59 S., in Texarkana will host daily takeoffs at 7 a.m. North Shore Park will also host Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s weigh-in featuring the top six boaters and six co-anglers will be held at the Wal-Mart located at 4000 New Boston Road in Texarkana beginning at 4 p.m. The winners will be determined by the heaviest total catch from all three days of competition.

Boaters and co-anglers who finish in the top six at the Wright Patman Lake Regional Championship will also advance to the $1 million no-entry-fee 2008 All-American championship presented by Chevy where they will fish for as much as $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in the Co-angler Division. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American will also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 14-17. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the most lucrative tournament in all of competitive bass fishing.

In all, the BFL offers weekend anglers the opportunity to qualify for three no-entry-fee championships with total cash awards exceeding $3 million. Additionally, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers from each BFL division may move up to the Stren Series for 2008 while All-American champions have the option to advance directly to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour.

In BFL competition, boaters supply the boat and compete from the front deck against other boaters. Co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.

As the nation’s leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series and ultimately the FLW Tour – bass fishing’s most lucrative tournament circuit.

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 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.