Sward wins BFL Gulf Coast Division tournament

Pro Alan Sward of Pascagoula, Miss., won the BFL Gulf Coast Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held May 10 on the Tensaw River near Bay Minnette. Angler: Alan Sward.

May 10, 2003 • MLF • Archives

BAY MINNETTE, Ala. – Alan Sward of Pascagoula, Miss., claimed $2,540 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Gulf Coast Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held Saturday on the Tensaw River near Bay Minnette. Sward led the field of 75 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces.

Finishing second was Ron Patterson of Pascagoula, Miss., with a five-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces worth $1,270.Price Thomas of Saraland finished third with a four-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces that earned him $864. Jesse Draime of Long Beach, Miss., finished fourth with a five-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces that earned him $660. Tied for fifth place were Robert Robinson of Mobile and Michael Swoboda of Summerdale with a five-bass catch weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces. Each received $508 for their catch.

Gary Brown of Gautier, Miss., claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Dennis Berhorst of Holts Summit, Mo., topped 74 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces. Berhorst earned $1,253 for the win.

Tied for second place were Butch Kartesz of Roanoke, Va., and Michael Marodis of Biloxi, Miss., with a three-bass catch weighing 7 pounds, 1 ounce. Each received $527 for their catch. Dustin Clontz of Albemarle, N.C., finished fourth with a four-bass catch weighing 6 pounds, 11 ounces that earned him $326. Alan Hults of Gautier, Miss., finished fifth with a three-bass catch weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce that earned him $276.

Sward earned boater big-bass honors and $375 with a 3-pound, 3-ounce bass, and Kartesz earned co-angler big-bass honors and $185 in his division with a 3-pound, 9-ounce bass.

The Gulf Coast Division’s final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Oct. 4-5 on the Mobile Delta in Mobile, Ala. 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 Gulf Coast 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, Bama and Cowboy 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.