The 2012 Walmart BFL season continues with five tournaments on Saturday, April 21. The Bulldog division continues its season on Lake Sinclair, the LBL division continues on Lake Barkley, the Ozark division continues on Stockton Lake, the Piedmont division continues on Lake Gaston and the Volunteer division continues on South Holston Reservoir. Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing in each event for top awards up to $8,000 and $3,000 respectively.
When: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Where: Bulldog Division
Lake Sinclair
Little River Park
3069 North Columbia Street
Milledgeville, Ga.
Notes: Bass fishing is very good on Lake Sinclair right now. Water temperature is in the lower 70-degree range, and water clarity is being reported as stained. The majority of bass have already spawned, so this should be a post-spawn tournament, although there may be a few stragglers still on the beds. Anglers should target the points in creeks and off of deeper banks. Jigs, spinnerbaits and soft plastics will be popular baits thrown by tournament anglers. The annual shad spawn will be taking place very soon as well, so that may alter the strategy of some anglers as the bass target the spawning baitfish.
Where: LBL Division
Lake Barkley
Kuttawa/Lyon County Boat Ramp
1061 Kentucky 295 South
Kuttawa, Ky.
Hosted by the Lake Barkley Tourist Commission
Notes: Lake Barkley is currently at 73 degrees and 4 feet below full pool level. Bass fishing is being reported as fair right now. The bass are entering the spawning phase and starting to move to the beds. Anglers will be targeting the shallow-water beds and shallow water near the creeks. Sight fishing should play a big role in this tournament. Drop-shot rigs, swimbaits and jigs will all be thrown at Barkley.
Where: Ozark Division
Stockton Lake
Orleans Trail Resort & Marina
15857 S. 1525 Road
Stockton, Mo.
Notes: Stockton Lake bass are just beginning to enter the spawn as the water has warmed to the mid 60-degree range. The water clarity has cleared, and sight fishing could be a factor in this tournament. Topwater, jigs, soft plastics and jerkbaits will all be popular choices here. The bass will also be aggressively targeting the baitfish, which are becoming much more active in Stockton Lake. Anglers should target the flats and points in 5 to 16 feet of water.
Where: Piedmont Division
Lake Gaston
Americamps Lake Gaston
9 Lakeside Lane
Bracey, Va.
Notes: The fishing on Lake Gaston is heating up as the bass are beginning to stage for the spawn. Anglers will be targeting the shallow spawning areas that are near the deep drop-offs. Crankbaits, Flukes, and Rat-L-Traps will all produce nice fish around docks and cover on points and shallow coves. Pulling spinnerbaits in the deeper water where the pre-spawn bass are staging could also be very productive. The winning angler can expect to have a 20- to 24-pound winning weight.
Where: Volunteer Division
South Holston Reservoir
Observation Knob Park
553 Knob Park Road
Bristol, Tenn.
Notes: Bass fishing on South Holston Reservoir is being reported as good. The water temperature is in the lower to mid 60-degree range and water clarity is clear. Anglers should target the banks and pockets near the creeks and also look out for secondary points. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and swimbaits could all play a role in this tournament. The winning weight at this South Holston Reservoir tournament should be right around 20 pounds.
To register for any of the upcoming BFL events, click here.
Walmart BFL overview
The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. The 2012 BFL All-American is being held May 17 – 19 on the Potomac River in National Harbor, Md. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
About FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.