Shelton wins Wal-Mart BFL Choo Choo Division tournament

Blaine Shelton of Moulton, Ala., won the BFL Choo Choo Division’s third regular-season stop, held May 17 on Weiss Lake near Cedar Bluff. Shelton led the field of 187 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces. Angler: Blaine Shelton.

May 17, 2003 • MLF • Archives

CEDAR BLUFF, Ala. – Blaine Shelton of Moulton claimed $4,746 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division’s third regular-season stop, held Saturday on Weiss Lake near Cedar Bluff. Shelton led the field of 187 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces. Shelton caught his bass Saturday pitching a trick worm in the grass.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Larry Bingham of Birmingham (five bass, 15 pounds, 10 ounces, $2,373); Ott Defoe of Knoxville, Tenn. (five bass, 15 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,613); James Kennedy of Boaz (five bass, 15 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,234); and Vic Porter of Florence (five bass, 14 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,044).

Bingham claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Greg Gilley of Boaz topped 187 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces that he caught flipping a buzzbait in shallow grass. Gilley earned $2,373 for the win.

Finishing second was Roy Holmes of Rome, Ga., with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces worth $1,186. Jerry McCafferty of Muscle Shoals finished third with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces that earned him $807. Tied for fourth place were Jason Khym of Maryville, Tenn., and Dallas McElroy of Rainbow City with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces. Each received $569 for their catch.

Shelton and Cory Carroll from Canton, Ga., tied for boater big-bass honors with a 5-pound, 15-ounce bass. Each earned $467 for their big bass. Holmes earned co-angler big-bass honors and $468 in his division with a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass.

The Choo Choo Division will make its fourth regular-season stop June 14 on Neely Henry in Ohatchee. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 6-7 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 Choo Choo Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on Clark Hill Lake near Thomson, Ga., where they will go up against top competitors from the Gator, Mountain and Piedmont 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.