HENDERSON, N.C. (April 2, 2012) – Mark Inman of Greensboro, N.C., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 15 pounds, 6 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division event on Kerr Lake. For his victory, Inman earned $5,337.
“I’ve had a sweet spot on this lake for over 30 years,” said Inman. “I know this lake almost as well as I know myself. I had a real good day of fishing, and I’m glad I had enough to get the win. The lake was flooded, and there was a lot of flooded bushes and structure. I just stayed on my trolling motor and went flipping for most of the day.
“I was flipping a green pumpkin jig, and also caught a few on a TB Custom Crank’s crankbait,” Inman continued. “Overby Marine of Kittrell, N.C., got me set up with my Mercury motor and that got me around the lake all day. I was flipping anything and everything I could find on wood. I caught 20 keepers today, and the bite was consistent – all day long. I threw an Alabama rig as well today, but didn’t catch anything that I weighed in off of it. I caught most of my fish from 2 to 4 feet of water today.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros:
2nd: Darren Gay, Richfield, N.C., five bass, 14-7, $1,668
3rd: Paul Rigsbee, Timberlake, N.C., five bass, 14-5, $1,112
4th: Robert Walser, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 13-15, $$779 + $1,000 Evinrude Bonus
5th: Danny Nifong, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 13-8, $639
5th: Donnie Woody, Marion, N.C., five bass, 13-8, $639
7th: David Farrington, Greensboro, N.C., five bass, 13-5, $556
8th: William Shelton III, La Crosse, Va., five bass, 13-2, $501
9th: Rod Poole, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 13-0, $445
10th: Larry Inman, Greensboro, N.C., five bass, 12-13, $389
Complete results can be found here.
Hipps scores co-angler title
Robert Hipps of Troutman, N.C., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 11 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win $1,668 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:
2nd: Arthur Ferguson, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 11-0, $834
3rd: Keith Revis, Candler, N.C., five bass, 10-13, $558
4th: Kevin Thomas, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 10-1, $389
5th: Curtis Sims, Woolwine, Va., five bass, 9-13, $334
6th: Ronnie Brown, Cherryville, N.C., five bass, 9-11, $306
7th: George Hirapetian, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 9-10, $278
8th: Andrew Shundich, Cornelius, N.C., five bass, 9-2, $250
9th: Everett Brown, Wheelersburg, Ohio, five bass, 8-15, $208
9th: Tim Franks, Troy, N.C., five bass, 8-15, $208
Complete co-angler results can be found here.
The next BFL North Carolina Division tournament is scheduled for May 5 on Lake Wylie in Lake Wylie, S.C. After the fifth North Carolina Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 18-20 Regional Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. The 2012 BFL All-American is being held May 17 – 19 on the Potomac River in National Harbor, Md. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
About FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.