Fowler best boater on Clarks Hill Lake

MCCORMICK, S.C. – Boater Jerry Fowler of Walterboro, S.C., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League South Carolina Division tournament on Clarks Hill Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 19 pounds, 6 ounces. The victory earned Fowler $3,224 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Albemarle Sound Regional Championship in Elizabeth City, N.C., Oct. 9-11, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

After catching two fish on a lightweight trick worm in areas he found prefishing, the bite turned off completely. The wind picked up and water color changed because of the rain, so he tried a Rat-L-Trap. “I threw it about 35 times, and that didn’t produce,” Fowler said, “but in my mind, I knew these fish ought to be chasing, chasing something.”

Fowler changed his strategy again, which proved successful.

“I tied on a medium-running Lucky Craft crankbait, and they lit it up,” said Fowler. “I was in about 8 feet of water, throwing to the edge of the water and dragging it across shallow until it hit the lip of the channel, where they would grab it.”

Rounding out the top five boaters are Obby Land of Cherryville, N.C. (five bass, 18-5 $1,897); Ronnie McCoy of Lamar, S.C. (five bass, 17-13, $1,265); Joel Page of Little Mountain, S.C. (five bass, 15-5, $885) and Norm Attaway of Clearwater, S.C. (five bass, 13-15, $759).

Fowler took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $495 for a 7-pound, 8-ounce bass he caught on a crankbait.

David Carmichael of Lincolnton, Ga., earned $1,859 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Eddie Cook of Clemmons, N.C. (three bass, 11-11, $929); Calvin Sharp of Round O, S.C. (four bass, 10-5, $619); Tony Everhart of Gaffney, S.C. (five bass, 10-1, $434) and Calvin Jones of Raeford, N.C. (three bass, 9-14, $372).

James Robinson Jr. earned $242 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass he caught on a Bandit crankbait.

South Carolina Division anglers will visit Lake Hartwell in Seneca, S.C., April 12 for their third regular-season event, followed by an event on Lake Wateree in Camden, S.C., June 14. A two-day Super Tournament, the division’s fifth and final event, will be held on Lake Wylie in Lake Wylie, S.C., Sept. 27-28.

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 Albemarle Sound 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 will be awarding the largest fantasy sports payout in history. 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.