Smith takes title on Lake Barkley - Major League Fishing

Smith takes title on Lake Barkley

Johnson wins co-angler title
Image for Smith takes title on Lake Barkley
Noel Smith of Ashland City, Tenn., won the boater division in the April 28 Music City Division event on Lake Barkley with a total catch of 19 pounds, 12 ounces. Smith walked away with over $2,800 in winnings. Angler: Noel Smith.
April 28, 2012 • MLF • Archives

DOVER, Tenn. – Noel Smith of Ashland City, Tenn., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Music City Division event on the Lake Barkley. For his victory, Smith earned $2,883.

“I knew if I could get to my area early I would have a good chance of winning,” said Smith, whose sweet spot was shallow backwater. “I pulled up to my spot before 7 a.m. and caught two nice keepers within five minutes. Then it went dead; I needed the wind to pick up and blow the shad in, but it wasn’t there yet, so I made the long run and headed across the state line into Kentucky.

“I was able to fill my limit in Kentucky waters,” Smith continued. “But I didn’t think it was enough. The wind had picked up, so I headed back to the area where I started because I knew there were big fish there. I got there with only an hour left to fish. The wind had picked up enough to push the shad in, and I got two 5-pounders within five minutes. It was enough to push me over the top.”

Smith said that he was “churning mud” most of the day fishing water that was less than a foot deep. He was flipping black and blue jigs with Strike King Rage Tail Chunks as well as Punisher spinnerbaits.

Rounding out the top 10 boaters:

2nd: Adam Vance, Mount Juliet, Tenn., five bass, 18-10, $1,442

3rd: Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 17-7, $960

4th: Gary Singleton, Dickson, Tenn., five bass, 16-12, $673

5th: Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., five bass, 16-8, $577

6th: Phillip Haley, Auburn, Ky., five bass, 16-3, $505

Robert Reagan, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 16-3, $505

8th: Greg Rollins, Monteagle, Tenn., five bass, 16-1, $408

Larry Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 16-1, $408

10th: Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 15-7, $336

Complete results can be found here.

Johnson takes co-angler title

Co-angler Chad Johnson of Sparta, Tenn., took the title in the April 28 Music City Division event on Lake Barkley with a weight of 17 pounds, 8 ounces. Johnson took home just under $1,500 in prize money. Chad Johnson of Sparta, Tenn., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 8 ounces Saturday to win $1,442 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:

2nd: Jeff Emerton, Hillham, Tenn., five bass, 16-5, $721

3rd: Jamie Saylor, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 15-3, $483

4th: Denny Strunk, Tullahoma, Tenn., five bass, 15-0, $336

5th: Lucas Medlin, Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 13-6, $288

6th: Tim Huddleston, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 12-14, $264

7th: Billy Gardner, Livingston, Tenn., five bass, 11-7, $240

8th: Charles Bennington, Scottsville, Ky., five bass, 10-11, $216

9th: David Welcher, Burns, Tenn., four bass, 10-8, $192

10th: John Cook, Jamestown, Tenn., five bass, 10-1, $168

Complete co-angler results can be found here.

The next BFL Music City Division tournament is scheduled for June 30 on Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin, Tenn. After the fifth event in the Music City Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 4-6 Regional Championship on Cherokee Lake in Morristown, Tenn. 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.