Milner wins Wal-Mart BFL event on DeGray Lake

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Boater Kerry Milner of Bono, Ark., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division tournament on DeGray Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned Milner $4,454 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Kentucky Lake Regional Championship in Gilbertsville, Ky., Oct. 2-4, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

“I stayed in one spot all day and worked it for all it was worth,” Milner said. “I didn’t miss any fish, and everything that I hooked, I got in the boat. It was a perfect day for me.”

Milner threw a Carolina rig with a green-pumpkin Baby Brush Hog to staging fish and managed to land seven keepers for the day.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Dennis Bean of Hot Springs, Ark. (five bass, 16-11, $2,620); Tim Gartman of Conway, Ark. (four bass, 15-6, $1,748); Billy Holt Jr. of Sherwood, Ark. (five bass, 15-5, $1,223); and Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale, Ark. (five bass, 14-15, $1,048).

Milner took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $825 for a 7-pound, 12-ounce bass.

Brian Liles of Texarkana, Ark., earned $2,620 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to four bass weighing 12 pounds, 14 ounces that he caught on a football-head jig off points about 12 feet out.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Johnny Manning of Arkadelphia, Ark. (three bass, 11-12, $1,310); Jesse Hays of Bryant, Ark. (four bass, 11-1, $877); Jason Ballentine of Bryant, Ark. (five bass, 10-12, $611); and Scott Boatright of Sheridan, Ark. (three bass, 10-8, $524).

Lee Smithwick of Hot Springs, Ark., and Steve Lee of Benton, Ark., each earned $206 as the co-angler Big Bass winners after catching 5-pound, 1-ounce bass.

Arkie Division anglers will visit Greers Ferry in Greers Ferry, Ark., May 10 for their third regular-season event, followed by an event on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Ark., June 21. A two-day Super Tournament, the division’s fifth and final event, will be held on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Ark., 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 Kentucky 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.