Bama Division tournament won by Keel
LANETT, Ala. – Mike Keel of Auburn claimed $3,577 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Bama Division’s second regular-season stop, held Saturday on West Point Lake near Lanett. Keel led the field of 127 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds.
Keel caught his bass Saturday on a green pumpkin Zoom worm and a Stanley jig on the southern end of the lake. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Keel also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats, and he earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.
Rounding out the top five boaters are James Hill of Ozark (five bass, 11 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,789); Jason Ninas of Phenix City (four bass, 11 pounds, $1,216); Novice Graben of Lineville (three bass, 10 pounds, 3 ounces, $930); and Chris Ingram of Eclectic (five bass, 10 pounds, 1 ounce, $787).
John Foster of Stockbridge, Ga., topped 126 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds, 6 ounces that he caught on a Zoom finesse worm around stumps in the middle of the lake. Foster earned $1,806 for the win.
Finishing second was Chris Hawkins of Moody with a five-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces worth $903. Tied for third were Brad Staley of Huntsville and Jim Landers of Alexander City. Both caught five bass weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces worth $542. Finishing fifth was W. Skeeter Collins of Vinemont with four bass weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces that earned him $397.
David Wright of Winston, Ga., and Jerry Puckett of Montgomery tied for boater big-bass honors with a 5-pound, 5-ounce bass. Both earned $317 for their big bass. Foster earned co-angler big-bass honors and $315 in his division with a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass.
The Bama Division will make its third regular-season stop April 26 on Guntersville Lake in Guntersville followed by an event on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula June 28. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 27-28 on Guntersville Lake in Guntersville. Following the regular season, the boater with the most points will be declared the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler with the most points following the regular season will earn $500.
The top 30 Bama Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on the Red River near Natchitoches, La., where they will go up against top competitors from the Arkie, Cowboy and Gulf Coast divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.
As much as $6 million will be awarded in the 2003 Wal-Mart BFL.
Editor’s Note: Ranger Cup award winners are pending verification by Ranger Boats and thus are unofficial at this time.