Knies takes top honors in LBL Division on Lake Barkley
Rupe wins co-angler title
KUTTAWA, Ky. – Darrel Knies of Avon, Ind., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League LBL Division event on Lake Barkley. For his victory, Knies earned $6,905.
“I decided to target the back-water sloughs,” said Knies. “I stayed on Barkley, but I ran about 45 minutes south of the launch site. I had found a nice area during practice where I caught around 100 keepers, so I knew that if they stayed there I was going to have a shot. It slowed down tournament day, but I was still able to catch 37 keepers on the day.
“With 11 minutes to go before check-in, I decided to try a few more casts,” Knies continued. “I was able to cull a 16-inch largemouth with a 4-pound smallmouth just before we had to be back to takeoff, and that ended up being the fish that won me the tournament. That one came off of a chrome black back-colored Strike King Red Eye Shad. I caught all of my other keepers using a green pumpkin-colored Secret Lures Stupid Tube. My Fatheadz sunglasses really helped me today as well, as I was able to clearly see the underwater structure where the bass were hiding.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros:
2nd: Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 20-15, $2,453
3rd: Ray Barga, Benton, Ky., five bass, 20-2, $1,635 + $1,000 Evinrude Bonus
4th: Clint Huntsman, Cadiz, Ky., five bass, 20-1, $1,145
5th: Dathan Jones, Harrodsburg, Ky., five bass, 19-9, $981
6th: John Elliott Jr., Eddyville, Ky., five bass, 17-11, $899
7th: Daniel Langston, Haubstadt, Ind., five bass, 17-2, $818
8th: Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., five bass, 17-0, $695
8th: Sam Boss, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 17-0, $695
10th: Drew Lynch, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 16-13, $543
10th: Larry Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 16-13, $543
Complete results can be found here.
Rupe wins co-angler division
Bryan Rupe of Mayfield, Ky., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 15 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win $2,453 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:
2nd: Tim Endris, Shepherdsville, Ky., five bass, 15-11, $1,226
3rd: Nick Lux, Shelbyville, Ind., five bass, 14-8, $816
4th: Michael Anstead, Mt. Washington, Ky., five bass, 14-4, $572
5th: Jim Lynn, Nebo, Ky., five bass, 14-2, $491
6th: Danny Robinson, Fairland, Ind., five bass, 14-1, $450
7th: Ethan Hoggard, Almo, Ky., five bass, 13-12, $409
8th: Roger Kirby, Owensboro, Ky., five bass, 13-9, $368
9th: Roger Crain, Louisville, Ky., five bass, 13-8, $290
9th: Stan Evans, Newburgh, Ind., five bass, 13-8, $290
9th: Dennis Johnson, Hohenwald, Tenn., five bass, 13-8, $290
Complete co-angler results can be found here.
The next BFL LBL Division tournament is scheduled for April 21 on Lake Barkley in Kuttawa, Ky. After the fifth LBL Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 18-20 Regional Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
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 compete 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.
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.