Miller wins 2002 Wal-Mart BFL Bama Division opener

Jimmy Miller of Eclectic, Ala., won the Boater Division at the Feb. 9 Wal-Mart BFL event on Lake Martin. Miller, who landed a total catch weighing 17 pounds, 4 ounces, took home a check for $4,615. Angler: Jimmy Miller.

February 9, 2002 • MLF • Archives

ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. – Jimmy Miller of Eclectic, Ala., topped 177 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Lake Martin with a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 4 ounces. The impressive catch earned him his first BFL win, $4,615 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Miller caught his limit, which topped second-place boater Matthew Herren of Trussville, Ala., by 15 ounces, fishing trees and docks with a green pumpkin tube. Herren finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces worth $2,308. He also earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Jamie Horton of Centerville, Ala. (five bass, 12 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,385); Phillip Daniel of Roanoke, Ala. (five bass, 11 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,108); and Chad Lynch of Birmingham, Ala. (five bass, 10 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,015) rounded out the top-five boaters.

Terry Tucker of Gadsden, Ala., earned boater big bass honors and $885 with a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass.

Eric Davenport of Birmingham, Ala., claimed first place and $2,282 in the 175-competitor Co-angler Division with a five-bass limit weighing 9 pounds, 11 ounces. He edged past second-place co-angler Joel Naramore of Parrish, Ala., by 1 ounce thanks to a productive green finesse worm that he was fishing around rocky points and drop-offs. Naramore finished with a five-bass limit weighing 9 pounds, 10 ounces worth $1,141.

Aaron Wessels of Watervliet, N.Y. (five bass, 9 pounds, 4 ounces, $684); Shane Patterson of Alexander City, Ala. (five bass, 8 pounds, 8 ounces, $548); and Mike Freeman of Oxford, Ala., (five bass, 8 pounds, 4 ounces, $456) rounded out the top-five co-anglers.

Alvin Shirey of Talladega, Ala., earned co-angler big bass honors and $437 with a 5-pound bass.

Overall, 50 five-bass limits were caught during the tournament.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Lake Guntersville near Scottsboro, Ala., March 16 for the second of five Bama Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 21-22 on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula, Ala., will be declared the Yamaha “Be the Best” Points Leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.

The top-30 Bama Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 22-26 on the Pearl River near Slidell, La., where they will go up against top competitors from the Arkie, Cowboy and Mississippi divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative post-season tournaments in competitive angling.

2002 BFL awards could reach $7 million based on full fields.

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