Mcatee best Super Tournament boater on Ohio River

GOLCONDA, Ill. – Boater Michael Mcatee of Waverly, Ky., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Illini Division Super Tournament on the Ohio River with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 22 pounds, 1 ounce. The victory earned Mcatee $4,366 plus a $770 Ranger contingency bonus and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Mississippi River Regional Championship in Fort Madison, Iowa, Oct. 4-6, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Mcatee caught his bass using a spinnerbait near timber north of Golconda.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Greg Coleman of Butler, Ill. (10 bass, 18-14, $2,569); Jason Thomas of Mount Vernon, Ill. (10 bass, 17-11, $1,712); Donnie Dill of Effingham, Ill. (10 bass, 17-11, $1,199); and Travis Gillett of Iuka, Ill. (10 bass, 16-12, $1,027).

Bobby McMullin of Pevely, Mo., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $645 for a 4-pound, 4-ounce bass.

Jack Morse of Decatur, Ill., earned $2,569 as the co-angler winner thanks to nine bass weighing 13 pounds, 7 ounces that he caught while fishing a Lunker Lure spinnerbait near wood and stumps.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brett Wysock of Wilmington, Ill. (eight bass, 12-14, $1,284); Danny Flournoy of Gillespie, Ill. (five bass, 11-10, $858); Charles Cummins of Shattuc, Ill. (eight bass, 11-10, $599); and Terry Marucco of Decatur, Ill. (six bass, 9-12, $514).

Flournoy also earned $322 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 12-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 the 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.