Prowant wins BFL Super Tounament on Lake Okeechobee

John Guttuso of Delray Beach, Fla., grabs co-angler title

OKEETANTIE, Fla. – Boater Brian Prowant of Moore Haven, Fla., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Everglades Division Super Tournament on Lake Okeechobee with a two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 22 pounds, 3 ounces. The victory earned Prowant $3,967 plus a $700 Ranger contingency bonus and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship in Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.

Prowant caught his bass throwing a Rat-L-Trap in schooling fish despite the windy conditions.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Bill Troyer of Sarasota, Fla. (10 bass, 21-14, $2,334); Ken Fitton of Loxahatchee, Fla. (10 bass, 18-13, $1,557); Dennis Wood of Port Saint Lucie, Fla. (seven bass, 18-4, $1,089) and Jimmy Williams of Winter Springs, Fla. (10 bass, 18-0, $934).

Prowant also took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $547 for a 8-pound, 7-ounce bass that he caught on a blue Rat-L-Trap.

John Guttuso of Delray Beach, Fla., earned $2,334 as the co-angler winner thanks to 10 bass weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces that he caught while fishing a jig near rocky structure at Taylor Creek.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are David Milo of De Bary Beach, Fla. (10 bass, 16-14, $1,167); Rick Browning of Plantation, Fla. (nine bass, 16-10, $779); David Stout of Okeechobee, Fla. (10 bass, 13-4, $545) and Anthony Valachovic of Coral Springs, Fla. (eight bass, 11-13, $467).

James Stalters of Boynton Beach, Fla., earned $274 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass he caught on a green-pumpkin shaky head.

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 Lake Seminole 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, call (270) 252-1000.