Sorrell wins season opener on Lake Gaston

The 2004 BFL Piedmont Division season kicked off March 13 on Lake Gaston near South Hill, and boater Rodney Sorrell of Stokesdale, N.C., claimed the win thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 14 ounces. Angler: Rodney Sorrell.

March 13, 2004 • MLF • Archives

SOUTH HILL, Va. – The 2004 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division season kicked off Saturday on Lake Gaston near South Hill, and Rodney Sorrell of Stokesdale, N.C., claimed the win thanks to a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 14 ounces. He bested 210 Boater Division competitors to earn $5,000 and 200 points.

Sorrell is a Piedmont Division veteran who also fishes the Eastern Division of the EverStart Series. He has nine top-10 finishes to his credit, including the win.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Greg Stallings of Dry Fork (five bass, 18 pounds, 1 ounce, $2,500); Mike McDonald of Randleman, N.C. (five bass, 16 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,700); Robert Walser of Lexington, N.C. (five bass, 13 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,300); and Jimmy Coleman of Monroe (five bass, 13 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,100).

Philip Wolcott of Midlothian claimed Boater Division big-bass honors and $1,000 thanks to a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass. McDonald earned $500 from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Jon Moss of Danville earned $2,500 as the Co-angler Division winner thanks to a four-bass catch that weighed 11 pounds, 8 ounces. He edged past 210 Co-angler Division competitors to claim the win.

Rounding out the top four co-anglers are Darrel Varner of Thomasville, N.C. (four bass, 10 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,250); Wayne Frierson of Columbia, S.C. (three bass, 9 pounds, 2 ounces, $850); and Ben Cannon of Apex, N.C. (four bass, 8 pounds, 4 ounces, $650). Tied for fifth were Harvey Reece of Chesterfield (five bass) and Bill Butler of Hopewell (three bass). Both men caught 7 pounds, 14 ounces of bass to earn $500 each.

Clark Bondurant of Mount Airy, N.C., earned $500 as the Co-angler Division big-bass winner with a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass.

The Piedmont Division’s next stop will be April 24 on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C. Each BFL division features four one-day events followed by a two-day Super Tournament to round out the regular season. The top 30 Piedmont Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Lake Seminole regional near Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 5-9, where they will compete against Bama, Mississippi and Gator 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 Piedmont 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.