Ellis takes top honors on Kentucky Lake

AURORA, Ky. – Boater Tommy Ellis of Paris, Tenn., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League LBL Division tournament on Kentucky Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 21 pounds, 1 ounce. The victory earned Ellis $4,205 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes Regional Championship in Lenoir City, Tenn., Oct. 18-20, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Frank Flack of Adams, Tenn. (five bass, 19-9, $2,474); Scott Brummett of Brentwood, Tenn. (five bass, 19-6, $1,649); Bill Russell of Lebanon Junction, Ky. (five bass, 18-4, $1,155); and P.J. Rorer of McKenzie, Tenn. (five bass, 17-15, $990).

Shawn Strickland of Lovelaceville, Ky., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $755 for a 6-pound, 12-ounce bass.

Scott Thompson of Owensboro, Ky., earned $2,474 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 17 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Micah Cunningham of Mount Washington, Ky. (five bass, 16-10, $1,237); Kirk Holland of Arlington, Ky. (five bass, 16-2, $824); Albert Schaaf Sr. of Waynesville, Ohio (five bass, 15-13, $577); and Jerry Jones of Dyersburg, Tenn. (five bass, 15-9, $495).

Holland earned $377 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass.

The LBL Division’s next event will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 29-30 on Kentucky Lake in Benton, Ky.

Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the 2008 All-American presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million, a potential $140,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and as much as $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport’s biggest championship.

The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 28 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired. Boaters supply the boat and fish from the front deck against other boaters while co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits will offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 241 events in 2007.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Walmart.com.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.