Stinson finds success on Okeechobee - Major League Fishing

Stinson finds success on Okeechobee

Trudel takes co-angler title
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Steven Stinson of Pickering, Ontario, won the Jan. 5 Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee with a total weight of 32 pounds, 10 ounces. For his efforts, Stinson took home more than $6,000 in winnings.
January 5, 2013 • MLF • Archives

CLEWISTON, Fla. – Steven Stinson of Pickering, Ontario, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 32 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla. For his victory, Stinson earned $6,011.

Rounding out the top 10 pros:

2nd: Jim Hurlock Jr., Lake Worth, Fla., five bass, 26-5, $3,006

3rd: Andrew Lee, Cocoa, Fla., five bass, 19-7, $1,702

3rd: Michael Meisenheimer, Sunrise, Fla., four bass, 19-7, $1,702

5th: Jim Folks, Melbourne, Fla., five bass, 19-2, $1,202

6th: Billy Jackson Jr., Ocala, Fla., five bass, 18-15, $1,102

7th: Miles Burghoff, Orlando, Fla., five bass, 18-10, $1,002

8th: Doug Harris, Loxahatchee, Fla., five bass, 16-9, $902

9th: Jimmie Murphy, Ocala, Fla., five bass, 16-8, $802

10th: Keith Fels, Ocala, Fla., five bass, 16-6, $701

Complete results can be found here.

Trudel lands co-angler title

Co-angler James Trudel of Boca Raton, Fla., won the Jan. 5 Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee with a 17-pound, 14-ounce limit. Trudel was awarded more than $3,000 for his efforts. James Trudel of Boca Raton, Fla., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 14 ounces Saturday to win $3,006 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:

2nd: Robert Turcotte, Naples, Fla., five bass, 14-2, $3,006

3rd: Scott Crisafulli, Sunrise, Fla., five bass, 13-12, $1,503

4th: Brock Stanaland, Okeechobee, Fla., five bass, 12-15, $1,008

5th: Raymond Rupp, The Villages, Fla., five bass, 12-13, $701

6th: James Atkins, Okeechobee, Fla., five bass, 12-5, $601

7th: Keith Stills, Eustis, Fla., five bass, 12-2, $551

8th: James Blount, Rockledge, Fla., five bass, 12-1, $501

9th: Jay Trudel, Boca Raton, Fla., five bass, 12-0, $451

10th: Michael Dubick, Coral Springs, Fla., five bass, 11-14, $401

Complete co-angler results can be found here.

The next BFL Gator Division tournament is scheduled for Feb. 16 on Lake Okeechobee in Okeechobee, Fla. After the fifth divisional tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 Regional Championship on Lake Guntersville, 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 2013 BFL All-American is being held June 27-29 on Nickajack Lake in Chattanooga, Tenn. 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 2013 over the course of 231 tournaments across five tournament circuits, four of which provide 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 FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.