HENDERSON, N.C. – Boater Mark Inman of Haw River, N.C., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division Super Tournament on Kerr Lake with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 14 ounces. The victory earned Inman $5,003 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.
Inman caught his bass throwing a crankbait over and around brush and stumps to catch his limit.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Bradley Staley of Pleasant Garden, N.C. (nine bass, 21-15, $2,943); Cliff Kirby of Catawba, N.C. (nine bass, 21-5, $1,964); Eric Weir of Belmont, N.C. (10 bass, 21-1, $1,373); and Daniel Funderburk of Rockwell, N.C. (seven bass, 18-5, $1,177).
Dwayne Saunders of Star, N.C., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $795 for a 5-pound, 15-ounce bass.
George Hirapetian of Charlotte, N.C., earned $2,943 as the co-angler winner thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds, 1 ounce that he caught while fishing a shaky-head rig near shallow stumps.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Bryan Lewis of West Jefferson, N.C. (six bass, 10-7, $1,472); Bret Love of Salisbury, N.C. (six bass, 10-5, $980); Chris Hall of Mount Pleasant, N.C. (four bass, 9-3, $687); and Kyle Whisnant of Iron Station, N.C. (five bass, 9-0, $589).
Tom O’Neal of Holly Springs, N.C., earned $397 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass.
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.