Tavel wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Guntersville Lake - Major League Fishing

Tavel wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Guntersville Lake

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First place in the Co-angler Division and $3,307 went to John Leger of Lowndesboro, Ala., who topped 99 competitors with a final round catch of three bass weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces. Angler: John Leger.
September 30, 2001 • MLF • Archives

SCOTTSBORO, Ala.- Lee Tavel of Warrior, Ala., topped 100 competitors on Guntersville Lake this weekend with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 15 ounces to win $6,614 and 400 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bama Division season finale.

After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in 12th place with an opening day catch of four bass weighing 9 pounds, 5 ounces, Tavel out fished runner up Tim Buckner of Scottsboro, Ala., by 3 pounds, 4 ounces.

Buckner qualified for the final round in second place with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 4 ounces and finished up with 13 pounds, 11 ounces to win $3,307.

Marshall Deakins of Dunlap, Tenn., took third place and collected $1,653 with 11 pounds, 13 ounces. Phillip Nunnelley of Cullman, Ala., placed fourth and earned $1,433 with 8 pounds, 14 ounces, while Felton Langley of LaFayette, Ala., placed fifth and earned $1,323 with 7 pounds, 4 ounces.

Tony Thomas of Scottsboro won the boater Big Bass Award and collected $990 with a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass.

First place in the Co-angler Division and $3,307 went to John Leger of Lowndesboro, Ala., who topped 99 competitors with a final round catch of three bass weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces.First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,307 went to John Leger of Lowndesboro, Ala., who topped 99 competitors with a final round catch of three bass weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,653 went to Chris Capell of Wetumpka, Ala., with 5 pounds, 19 ounces, while Jim Boyle of Camp Hill, Ala., took third place and $827 with 4 pounds, 2 ounces.

Marlon Farmer of Scottsboro won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $495 with a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass.

Boater Edward Gettys of Stevenson, Ala., won $500 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. He finished in eighth place with two bass weighing 4 pounds, 13 ounces.

Brian Randall of McCalla, Ala., landed the Divisional Points Championship and $1,000 with 1,092 points won during five regular season tournaments. Chris Capell of Wetumpka, Ala., landed the Co-Angler Points Championship and $500 with 1,058 points.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Bama Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 23-27 on Wateree Lake near Camden, S.C., where they will go up against top competitors from the Mountain, Bulldog and Gator 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.

Awards for the 2001 BFL season could reach $5.7 million based on full fields at each tournament.

Sponsors of the 2001 Wal-Mart BFL are ALPO Pet Foods, BC Powder, BFGoodrich Tires, Black & Decker, Chevy Trucks, CITGO, Coleman, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, Garmin, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Mercury Marine, Minn Kota, Pepsi, Poulan, Pure Fishing, Ranger Boats, Snickers Cruncher Bar, Stren, Shop-Vac, Timex, US Bank, Visa, Weed Eater, Wrangler and Yamaha Outboards. ACDelco is an associate sponsor of the Wal-Mart BFL.