Fleetwood, Stetich tie for BFL win on Truman Lake

CLINTON, Mo. – Boaters Tim Fleetwood of Forsyth, Mo., and Michael Stetich of Omaha, Neb., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Ozark Division tournament on Truman Lake Saturday. Both boaters had a five-bass catch weighing 21 pounds, 15 ounces. The victory earned Fleetwood $2,988 plus a $664 Ranger Boat contingency bonus and Stetich $2,988, and placed them one step closer to qualifying for the Mississippi River Regional Championship in Fort Madison, Iowa on Oct. 4-6, where they could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Todd Lambotte of Rossville, Kan. (four bass, 17-7, $1,478); Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Mo. (five bass, 17-4, $1,033); and Darin Lankford of Clinton, Mo. (five bass, 17-1, $886).

Stetich took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $635 for a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass.

Chris Bunk of Kansas City, Mo., earned $2,214 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounce.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Steve Gregg of Florissant, Mo. (four bass, 11-1, $922); Tim Renshaw of Everton, Mo. (four bass, 11-1, $922); James Leach of Independence, Mo. (four bass, 10-4, $517); and Jim Eakin of Plato, Mo. (five bass, 10-1, $443).

Patrick Ross of Lamar, Mo., earned $317 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass.

The Ozark Division’s next event will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 15-16 on Lake of the Ozarks in Kaiser, Mo.

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 Mississippi River 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.