Delayed Start Leads to Victory for Boggs

Morrison earns co-angler title on Kentucky Lake

Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tennessee, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) LBL Division tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes presented by Navionics. For his victory, Boggs took home $4,872.

Boggs says his morning was marred with equipment malfunctions that forced him to borrow a boat and return to the takeoff ramp for a mandatory boat inspection.

“After all of my troubles, I arrived at my area and threw my first cast at 10 a.m.” says Boggs, who earned his third win in FLW competition. “I spent the day on the south end of the lake flipping a green-pumpkin-colored Big Bite Baits soft-plastic into flooded bushes.

“The bushes I preferred were in two spawning pockets and had more water covering them than others,” says Boggs. “I would’ve hit more but I only had a few hours to fish. All five of the bass I weighed in came from my second pocket, along a 75-yard stretch.”

The Tennessee angler ended up boating six keepers in a 45-minute flurry.

“I was just grateful to be fishing after the morning I had,” says Boggs. “It was humbling to overcome that adversity and still go out there and catch nearly 22 pounds for the win.”

‘The top 10 boaters:

1^st:          Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 21-13, $4,872

2^nd:         Ron Smith, Walton, Ky., five bass, 21-11, $2,436

3^rd:          James Biondo, Tellico Plains, Tenn., five bass, 19-0, $1,623

4^th:          Eric Sanders, Lexington, Ky., five bass, 18-4, $1,137

5^th:          Cory York, Benton, Ky., five bass, 18-1, $974

6^th:          David Young, Mayfield, Ky., five bass, 17-11, $893

7^th:          Craig Hipsher, Benton, Ky., five bass, 17-8, $1,547

8^th:          Chris Beaudrie, Shepherdsville, Ky., five bass, 17-7, $731

9^th:          David Hames, Trezevant, Tenn., five bass, 16-10, $650

10^th:        Karl Cassens, South Fulton, Tenn., five bass, 16-9, $568

Complete results can be found here. 

Hipsher caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 6 pounds even, and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $735.

Morrison wins co-angler title

Bryce Morrison of Collierville, Tennessee, weighed in five bass totaling 16 pounds, 2 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,436.

The top 10 co-anglers:

1^st:          Bryce Morrison, Collierville, Tenn., five bass, 16-2, $2,436

2^nd:         John Dunn, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 15-14, $1,218

3^rd:          Gabe Montgomery, Jackson, Mo., five bass, 15-10, $691

3^rd:          Harbor Lovin, Fayetteville, Ohio, five bass, 15-10, $691

5^th:          Ricky Boehringer, Troy, Ohio, five bass, 15-8, $487

6^th:          Daniel Owens, Killen, Ala., five bass, 15-4, $447

7^th:          Greg Mullins, Mount Vernon, Ill., five bass, 15-3, $406

8^th:          Danny Nicklin, Highland, Ill., five bass, 14-1, $345

8^th:          Joe James III, Jackson, Mo., five bass, 14-1, $345

10^th:        Danny Robinson, Fairland, Ind., five bass, 13-13, $284

Kevin Womack of Bardstown, Kentucky, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $367.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 6-8 Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.