Huff takes BFL win on Lake Cumberland

MONTICELLO, Ky. – Boater Rex Huff of Corbin, Ky., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Mountain Division tournament on Lake Cumberland Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 2 ounces. The victory earned Huff $4,325 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Wheeler Lake Regional Championship in Decatur, Ala., Oct. 9-11, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

“It felt really good to win,” Huff said, who has earned more than $82,000 in career earnings with FLW Outdoors. “Winning a BFL is hard to come by with so many good anglers. I believe that luck was on my side.”

Huff caught five keepers on Saturday using a float-n-fly technique and a jig near Indian Creek in 8 feet of water.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Michael Boggs of Lily, Ky. (five bass, 17-2, $2,545); Chris Mitchell of Lexington, Ky. (five bass, 14-5, $1,698); Brad Roberts of Nancy, Ky. (five bass, 13-11, $1,187) and Bill Bowling of Somerset, Ky. (three bass, 12-8, $975).

Mike Devere of Berea, Ky., and Brian Wilson of Somerset, Ky., each took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $392 for a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass.

Devere caught his big bass on a jig in 12 feet of water, and Wilson caught his big bass on a crankbait in 6 feet of water.

Bobby Drinnon of Rogersville, Tenn., earned $2,545 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to four bass weighing 13 pounds, 2 ounces that he caught on a jerkbait and a shaky head in 15 feet of water near Cumberland Point.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Chad Peercy of Richmond, Ky. (three bass, 10-1, $1,272); Tim Hicks of London, Ky. (five bass, 9-0, $849); Al Cox of Nancy, Ky. (three bass, 8-15, $594) and Kenny Botts of Tompkinsville, Ky. (four bass, 8-5, $509).

Cox earned $392 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass that he caught on a Bandit crankbait in 4 feet of water.

Mountain Division anglers will visit Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tenn., April 5 for their second regular-season event, followed by an event on Laurel River Lake in London, Ky., April 26. The division’s fourth qualifying event will be held on the Barren River in Scottsville, Ky., May 17. A two-day Super Tournament, the division’s fifth and final event, will be held on the Barren River in Scottsville, Sept. 13-14.

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 Wheeler 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 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 Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport’s biggest championship.

Tournament anglers aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing, FLW Outdoors offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

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.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.

Total awards are based on a full field of 200 boats in every tournament.