Lineberger lands BFL Super Tournament victory on Lake Murray
PROSPERITY, S.C. – Shane Lineberger of Lincolnton, N.C., topped 90 Boater Division competitors on Lake Murray this weekend with a five-bass catch weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces. He earned $5,742 and 300 points for the win at the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Carolina Division season finale.
Balog caught five fish weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces on day one and out-fished runner-up Joey Sabbagha of Little Mountain, S.C., on day two to take the win by 1 pound, 9 ounces. Lineberger also won a $1,000 bonus as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Sabbagha caught five bass weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces on day one and another five weighing 9 pounds, 6 ounces on day two to win $2,871.
Eric Nethery of Acworth, Ga. (five bass, 9 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,555); Wayne Clifton of Goose Creek, S.C. (five bass, 9 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,316); and Trad Whaley of Abbeville, S.C., (five bass, 8 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,077) rounded out the top five boaters.
Bo Campbell of Olanta, S.C., took boater big-bass honors and $900 for a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass he caught on a buzzbait.
Robert Young of Fletcher, N.C., topped 89 competitors in the Co-angler Division to take first place and $2,903 thanks to a final-round catch of five bass weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,452 went to Ronald Mueller of Prosperity, S.C., with a five-bass catch weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces, followed by Scott Mason of Concord, N.C., in third place with four bass weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce worth $786.
Joe Bridges of Robbinsville, N.C., won the co-angler big-bass award of $445 with a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass he caught using a buzzbait.
Maurice Freeze of Kannapolis, N.C., is the Carolina Division’s Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1,011 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Zack Jenkins of Union, S.C., is the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 979 points.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Carolina Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 22-26 on Lake Seminole near Bainbridge, Ga., where they will go up against top competitors from the Choo Choo, Gator and Piedmont 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.
Links: