Tulgestka takes top BFL honors on Burt Mullet

CHEBOYGAN, Mich. – Boater Erhardt Tulgestka of Rogers City, Mich., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Michigan Division tournament on Burt Mullet Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 22 pounds, 15 ounces. The victory earned Tulgestka $3,400 plus a $600 Ranger Boat contingency bonus and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Mississippi River Regional Championship in Fort Madison, Iowa, Oct. 4-6, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Dave Schneider of Alpena, Mich. (five bass, 22-11, $2,000); Chad Pipkens of Holt, Mich. (five bass, 21-6, $1,334); Greg Babiarz of Brighton, Mich. (five bass, 20-13, $933); Marc Snyder of Saint Johns, Mich. (five bass, 20-6, $766); and Mike Webber of Holly, Mich. (five bass, 20-6, $766).

Heath Wagner of Angola, Ind., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $540 for a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass.

Charlie Bloss of Cassopolis, Mich., earned $1,963 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 18 pounds, 9 ounces.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Michael Penn of East Tawas, Mich. (five bass, 16-0, $981); Tyler Christopher of Grandville, Mich. (five bass, 13-14, $655); Bob Eastman of Hartland, Mich. (three bass, 13-1, $403); Mike Moran of Highland, Mich. (four bass, 13-1, $403); and Scott Noel of Loveland, Ohio (five bass, 13-1, $403).

Mark Price of Buchanan, Mich., earned $265 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass.

The Michigan Division’s next event will be July 7 on Lake St. Clair in Mt. Clemens, Mich., followed by a tournament July 28 on Grand River Lake in Grand Haven, Mich. The division’s fourth event will be held Aug. 25 on the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich., and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 15-16 on the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich.

Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Mississippi River Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the 2008 All-American presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million, a potential $140,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and as much as $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport’s biggest championship.

The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 28 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired. Boaters supply the boat and fish from the front deck against other boaters while co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits will offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 241 events in 2007.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Walmart.com.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.