BULL SHOALS, Ark. – Rick Culver of Bull Shoals, Ark., claimed the top spot in the Boater Division this weekend with two bass weighing 3 pounds, 7 ounces to win $4,278 and 400 points in the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division season finale.
After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in third place with an opening day catch of three bass weighing 4 pounds, 13 ounces, Culver out fished runner up Horace Haynes of Seymour, Mo., by 5 ounces to take the win.
Haynes advanced to the final round with one bass weighing 4 pounds, 6 ounces and finished up with one bass weighing 3 pounds, 2 ounces to win $2,139. Haynes also won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $550 for his opening day catch. Culver earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Jeff Schmidt of Warrensburg, Mo., took third place and collected $1,070 with two bass weighing 3 pounds, 1 ounce. Timothy Flynn of Isabella, Mo., placed fourth and earned $927 with two bass weighing 2 pounds, 3 ounces, while Chris Hughes of Springfield, Mo., placed fifth and earned $856 with one bass weighing 1 pound, 11 ounces.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,139 went to Ricky Watkins of Springdale, Ark., with a final round catch of two bass weighing 3 pounds. Second place in the division and $1,070 went to Rick Huddleston of Jefferson City, Mo., with one bass weighing 1 pound, 13 ounces, while David M eye of Camdenton, Mo., took third place and $535 with one bass weighing 13 ounces.
Clint Williams of Fayetteville, Ark., won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $270 with a 2-pound, 3-ounce bass on opening day.
Boater Gary Willis of Spokane, Mo., landed the Divisional Points Championship and $1,000 after five regular season tournaments. Gary Sanders of Cassville, Mo., landed the Co-Angler Points Championship and $500.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Ozark Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 9-13 on Weiss Lake near Cedar Bluff, Ala., where they will go up against top competitors from the Carolina, Choo Choo and Illini divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, which features an estimated purse of $345,000 and ranks as one of the most lucrative post-season tournaments in competitive angling. The top two boaters and co-anglers may also qualify for the Ranger M1 tournament in Mobile, Ala., Feb. 27-March 2, 2002, where they can win up to $1 million in the world’s richest freshwater tournament.
Awards for the 2001 BFL season could reach $5.7 million based on full fields at each tournament.