Jones outfishes field on Arkansas River

MUSKOGEE, Okla. – Boater Christopher Jones of Pocola, Okla., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Okie Division tournament on the Arkansas River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces. The victory earned Jones $3,087 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Ouachita Regional Championship in Mount Ida, Ark., Oct. 23-25, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

“This win felt really good, especially on my home waters,” Jones said. “And to do it on Father’s Day weekend made it even more special.”

Jones said he fished a swimming jig and a topwater frog to catch his limit of bass.

“In the first five minutes, I caught a 3-pounder and missed another big one,” Jones said. “We messed around for about 10 more minutes to try to catch that one. Then we moved to another area where I knew I could catch some fish and I had my limit by 7 a.m.”

Jones fished other areas he knew to try to cull his smaller fish, but said he never got the big bite he was looking for.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Robert White of Moore, Okla. (five bass, 13-8, $1,816); Chance Lawless of Durant, Okla. (five bass, 12-15, $1,210); Kirk Washburn of Harrah, Okla. (five bass, 12-5, $847); and Joe Erwin of Claremore, Okla. (five bass, 11-13, $726).

Charlie Apperson of Jay, Okla., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $465 for a 5-pound bass he caught on a creature bait.

Donny Murrell of Sapulpa, Okla., earned $1,816 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds even that he caught flipping a black jig in grass.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Scott Suchak of Oklahoma City, Okla. (four bass, 12-4, $908); John Williams of Dewey, Okla. (three bass, 10-9, $606); Justin Phillips of Checotah, Okla. (three bass, 9-12, $424); and Ronnie Stiek of Skiatook, Okla. (four bass, 8-9, $363).

Michael Purse of Springfield, Mo., earned $232 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass on a 10-inch plastic worm.

Okie Division anglers will visit Grand Lake in Grove, Okla., Sept. 6-7 for a two-day Super Tournament, the division’s fifth and final event.

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 Lake Ouachita 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.