Wolfarth wins 2002 Wal-Mart BFL Piedmont Division opener - Major League Fishing

Wolfarth wins 2002 Wal-Mart BFL Piedmont Division opener

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Ronald Wolfarth of Locust, N.C., topped 200 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Lake Gaston with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him $5,000 and 200 points in the Boater Division. Angler: Ron Wolfarth.
March 16, 2002 • MLF • Archives

LITTLETON, N.C. – Ronald Wolfarth of Locust, N.C., topped 200 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Lake Gaston with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him $5,000 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Wolfarth caught his limit on a 1/2-ounce brown jig that he was flipping to boat docks. The catch topped second-place boater Jeffery Francis of Richmond, Va., by 2 pounds, 5 ounces. Francis finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces worth $2,500.

James Henderson Jr. of Evington, Va. (five bass, 15 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,500); Tim Roberts of Hardy, Va. (five bass, 15 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,200); and Ray Griffin of Henderson, Va., (five bass, 14 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,100) rounded out the top-five boaters. Henderson also received a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Jim Paulakuhn of Wake Forest, N.C., earned boater big bass honors and $1,000 with a 6-pound, 5-ounce bass that he caught on a ¾-ounce spinner bait while fishing stumps. He finished in seventh place overall with four bass weighing 13 pounds, 11 ounces.

Rick White of Forest, Va., claimed first place and $2,500 in the 200-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 15 pounds.Rick White of Forest, Va., claimed first place and $2,500 in the 200-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 15 pounds. He surpassed second-place co-angler Edward McGinness of Milton, Del., by 3 pounds, 2 ounces. McGinness finished with a three-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 14 ounces worth $1,250.

Larry Dulin of Greensboro, N.C. (two bass, 10 pounds, $675); Bobby Futrell of Charlotte, N.C. (four bass, 10 pounds, $675); and William Goots of Reidsville, N.C., (five bass, 9 pounds, 5 ounces, $550) rounded out the top-five co-anglers. Dulin also earned big bass honors and $500 in his division with a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass that he caught on a chrome and blue jerkbait.

Overall, 26 five-bass limits were caught during the tournament.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Kerr Lake April 20 for the second of five Piedmont Division events. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 28-29 on Kerr Lake 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 Piedmont Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 22-26 on Lake Seminole near Bainbridge, Ga., where they will go up against top competitors from the Carolina, Choo Choo and Gator 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.