Allen wins BFL event on Toledo Bend

HEMPHILL, Texas – Boater Mark Allen of Lindale earned $4,456 Saturday as winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Cowboy Division event on Toledo Bend. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Cowboy Division events and featured 171 boaters vying for the win, which earned Allen 200 points in the Boater Division.

Allen used a Wave Worm to claim his winning catch of five bass that weighed 21 pounds, 3 ounces. He also earned $855 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner thanks to a 9-pound, 13-ounce bass. He also earned another $1,000 from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Finishing second was Ben Matsubu of Hemphill with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 9 ounces that earned him $2,228. Deryl Janzen of Hemphill claimed $1,515 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce. In fourth was Aaron Johnson of Bossier City, La., with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 13 ounces worth $1,159, and finishing fifth and earning $980 was Mike Cortelloni of Many, La., with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounce.

Daniel Chambers of Keithville, La., bested 171 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,228 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces that he caught on a Senko in 2 to 3 feet of water.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Lon Shipe of Tomball (five bass, 14 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,114); Randy Hicks of Lumberton (five bass, 13 pounds, 3 ounces, $758); Ben Faucheaux of Natchitoches, La. (four bass, 12 pounds, 10 ounces, $579); and Richard Hooter of Natchitoches, La. (five bass, 12 pounds, $490).

Stan Reeves of Many, La., earned $428 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with an 8-pound, 5-ounce bass he caught on a spinnerbait.

The Cowboy Division’s next event will be held April 3 on Sam Rayburn near Jasper, followed by another event on Toledo Bend in Hemphill May 8. The Cowboy Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 25-26 with a two-day Super Tournament on Sam Rayburn near Jasper.

Following the regular season, the Cowboy Division boater with the most points will earn $1,000 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader. The co-angler amassing the most points will earn $500 as the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader in the Co-angler Division.

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. The top 30 Cowboy 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 Illini, Music City and Seminole division anglers for one of six slots in the 2005 All-American. With a $100,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and $50,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing.

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.