The 2012 Walmart BFL season continues with four tournaments on Saturday, May 12. The Great Lakes division kicks its season off on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, the Illini division opens on Rend Lake, the Piedmont division continues on High Rock Lake and the Volunteer division competes on Douglas Lake. Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing in each event for top awards up to $8,000 and $3,000 respectively. Anglers may register online or by calling (270) 252-1000.
When: Saturday, May 12, 2012
Where: Great Lakes Division
Mississippi River
West Copeland & Clinton Street Boat Ramp
Clinton Street
La Crosse, Wis.
Notes: The mild winter this year has had an effect on fish across the country, and the Mississippi River near La Crosse has been no exception. Water temperatures on the river are right around 60 degrees, but warming every day. The bass are currently spawning, and anglers will be targeting the shallow flats. The bass bite in Lake Onalaska on the river is being reported as excellent right now. Swimbaits, crankbaits and spinnerbaits will all be successful in this event, and the winning angler can expect to have around 15 to 16 pounds.
Where: Illini Division
Rend Lake
Wayne Fitzgerald Sailboat Landing
11094 Ranger Road
Whittington, Ill.
Notes: The bass bite is being reported as good right now on Rend Lake. Water temperatures are holding in the mid 60-degree range, and tournament anglers can expect to find bass in all three phases of the spawn during this event. Jigs, spinnerbaits and soft plastics will all be used in this tournament. Anglers should target the shallow brush and cover located in the bays and near bridges. The winning angler for this event can expect to have around 18 to 20 pounds.
Where: Piedmont Division
High Rock Lake
Tamarac Marina & Campground
9120 Bringle Ferry Road
Salisbury, N.C.
Hosted by the Rowan County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Notes: Bass fishing on the second-largest lake in North Carolina has been tough. Water temperature is in the upper 70-degree range and the lake level is down just a little – about 11/2 feet below median level. Most of the bass will be in a post-spawn phase and will have returned to the deeper staging areas during this event, although there may be a few stragglers left on the beds. Popular baits among anglers will be jigs, drop-shot rigs and crankbaits. Twenty to 22 pounds should be the winning weight in this event.
Where: Volunteer Division
Douglas Lake
Mountain Cove Marina
1590 Dike Road
Kodak, Tenn.
Notes: Water temperature on Douglas Lake is hovering right around 65 degrees and water clarity is stained. The bass bite has been reported as being very good over the past few weeks but has slowed recently due to dramatic increases in the water depth. Anglers will target the deep channels and creeks and the upper river sections of the lake, which are currently producing an excellent smallmouth bite. Soft plastics, crankbaits and spinnerbaits will be used by anglers in this event. The winning weight is predicted to be right around 23 pounds.
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.