Bryant wins BFL Super Tournament on Cherokee Lake

Jim Bryant Jr. of Lancaster, Ky., topped 93 Boater Division competitors on Cherokee Lake, earning $5,934 and 300 points for the win at the BFL Mountain Division season finale

September 15, 2002 • MLF • Archives

MORRIS TOWN, Tenn. – Jim Bryant Jr. of Lancaster, Ky., topped 93 Boater Division competitors on Cherokee Lake this weekend with a five-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces. He earned $5,934 and 300 points for the win at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Mountain Division season finale.

After qualifying for the final round of the two-day Super Tournament in first place with his first catch of five bass weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces, Bryant out-fished runner-up Guy Siler of Rutledge, Tenn., by 3 pounds to take the win. Bryant caught his limit on day two using a crankbait.

Siler qualified for the final round in third place with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 15 ounces and finished up with a four-bass catch weighing 10 pounds, 6 ounces to win $2,967.

Paul Rice of Danville, Ky. (five bass, 10 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,607); J.R. Henard of Rogersville, Tenn. (four bass, 9 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,360); and Mark Jackson of Spring City, Tenn., (three bass, 8 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,113) rounded out the top five boaters.

Jerry Fritz of Berea, Ky., took boater big-bass honors and $930 for a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass he caught on a black and blue jig. He finished 17th overall with a two-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces. Keith Monson of Burgin, Ky., earned a $500 bonus as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. He finished seventh with a four-bass catch weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces.

Jarrod Hembree of Berea, Ky., topped 90 competitors in the Co-angler Division to take first place and $2,871 thanks to a final-round catch of three bass weighing 10 pounds, 4 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,435 went to Pat Eichmann of Nancy, Ky., with a three-bass catch weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces, followed by Richard Rigsby of Tazewell, Tenn., in third place with two bass weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces worth $778.

Jacob Cross of Byrdstown, Tenn., won the co-angler big-bass award of $455 with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass he caught using a jig. He finished 17th overall thanks to the one bass.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Mountain Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 15-19 on Lake Gaston near Littleton, N.C., where they will go up against top competitors from the Buckeye, Northeast and Savannah River divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.

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

Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart BFL are Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet Foods, BC Powder, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, GARMIN, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, Stren, U.S. Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards.