Carper wins season opener on Percy Priest

SMYRNA, Tenn. – The 2004 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Music City Division season kicked off Saturday on Percy Priest near Smyrna, and Brian Carper of Murfreesboro claimed the win thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces. He bested 146 Boater Division competitors to earn $3,988 and 200 points.

Carper caught his tournament-winning bass using Mann’s baits in firetiger colors in the backs of creeks at the upper end of the lake. The win was Carper’s first career top-10 finish in the BFL.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Frank Lannom of Mount Juliet (five bass, 14 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,994); Tim Staley of Dowelltown (five bass, 14 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,356); Adam Wagner of Cookeville (four bass, 13 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,037); and Steve Greene of Antioch (four bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces, $877).

Lannom earned $500 from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he earned another $250 from Yamaha because his boat is powered by a Yamaha outboard.

Chip Rush of Springfield claimed Boater Division big-bass honors and $730 thanks to a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass that he caught on a gold Shad Rap.

Harry Smith of Joelton earned $1,980 as the Co-angler Division winner thanks to a three-bass catch that weighed 10 pounds, 13 ounces. He edged past 145 Co-angler Division competitors thanks to a crankbait and a black/gold Shad Rap. Smith also earned $363 as the Co-angler Division big-bass winner with a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Kevin Lamb of Gallatin (three bass, 9 pounds, 6 ounces, $990); William Fitzgerald of Hampshire (three bass, 8 pounds, 13 ounces, $673); Tommy Cordy of Puryear (two bass, 8 pounds, 7 ounces, $515); and Eric Montgomery of Lebanon (two bass, 7 pounds, 13 ounces, $436).

The Music City Division’s next stop will be March 27 on Center Hill Lake. Each BFL division features four one-day events followed by a two-day Super Tournament to round out the regular season. The top 30 Music City Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Columbus Pool regional near Columbus, Miss., Oct. 19-23, where they will compete against Cowboy, Illini and Seminole division anglers for a slot in the 2005 All-American. The winning boater at the All-American receives $100,000 cash, making it one of the most lucrative and prestigious championship events in bass fishing.

Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. These points determine angler standings. The Music City Division boater who amasses the most points at the end of the regular season will earn $1,000 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader, and the co-angler earning the most points will earn $500 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division.

The $6.3 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 24 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired, with boaters supplying the boat and fishing against other boaters and co-anglers fishing from the back deck against other co-anglers. For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or browse this Web site.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its six tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com’s sponsor page.