MOBILE, Ala. – When Scott Sevier of Corbin, Ky., won $50,000 cash as the co-angler champ of the recent Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American, it was almost like a bonus from the company office. Sevier, after all, is a seven-year employee of Wal-Mart, title sponsor of the BFL.
A loader by day at Wal-Mart Distribution Center No. 6097 in London, Ky., Sevier hauled in four bass over two days on the Mobile-Tensaw Delta that weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces – the exact weight as runner-up John Howard of Alexander City, Ala. Sevier won the tiebreaker with the heaviest one-day catch – his entire winning weight was caught on day two – and scored the $50,000 top prize. Sevier can thank his employer and a host of other BFL sponsors for his lucrative payday, easily his largest since entering the BFL two years ago. Prior to the All-American, Sevier’s total winnings just exceeded $2,000.
“It was a privilege just to be here and fish against these guys,” Sevier said at the time. “I still can’t believe it.” Sevier qualified for the All-American by finishing 26th in the Mountain Division and third in the Lake Gaston Regional.
Sevier indicated that he plans to spend part of his $50,000 windfall on a new Ranger boat. It’s also more than likely that he’ll stock up on his tournament-winning Baby Brush Hogs at – where else? – Wal-Mart.