Hurst wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League event on Ohio River

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. – Boater Mark Hurst of Troy, Ohio, earned $3,583 Saturday as winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division event on the Ohio River near Lawrenceburg. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Buckeye Division events and featured 125 boaters vying for the win, which earned Hurst 200 points in the Boater Division.

Hurst’s winning catch of five bass weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce, and he caught them on a spinnerbait. He also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Finishing second was Jay Jeffries of Celina, Ohio, with five bass weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces that earned him $1,791. Patrick Shipley of Lockbourne, Ohio, claimed $1,218 as the third-place finisher thanks to four bass weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces. In fourth was David Smith of Dayton, Ohio, with four bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces worth $932, and finishing fifth and earning $788 was Marlin Hines of Chilo, Ohio, with three bass weighing 6 pounds, 6 ounces.

Bob Phelps of Shelby, Ohio, took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $625 for a 4-pound, 8-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a black worm.

Aaron Stahley of Milford, Ohio, bested 124 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $1,777 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 7 pounds, 1 ounce that he caught on a black and blue jig.

Finishing second was Gary Vanover of Cincinnati with five bass weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce that earned him $889. Glen Cronley of Kenton, Ohio, claimed $604 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces. Tied for fourth were Duane Fry of Bellefontaine, Ohio, and Clifford Ivy of Milford, Ohio. Both anglers caught four bass that weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces that earned each of them $427.

The Buckeye Division’s next event will be held July 17 on the Ohio River near Carrollton, Ky., followed by an event on Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio, Aug. 7. The Buckeye Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 11-12 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio.

Following the regular season, the Buckeye Division boater with the most points will earn $1,000 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader. The co-angler amassing the most points will earn $500 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division.

Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. The top 30 Buckeye Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Kerr Lake regional near Henderson, N.C., Oct. 5-9, where they will compete against Carolina, Northeast and Savannah River division anglers for one of six slots in the 2005 All-American. With a $100,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and $50,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing.

The $6.3 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 24 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired, with boaters supplying the boat and fishing against other boaters and co-anglers fishing from the back deck against other co-anglers. For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or click here.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com’s sponsor page.