Walmart BFL tournament preview at a glance
Bama, Hoosier, Illini, Ozark, Piedmont and Volunteer division events set for Sept. 8-9
The 2012 Walmart BFL season continues with six division-ending super tournaments on Sept. 8-9. The Bama division holds its final event of the year at Pickwick Lake, the Hoosier division holds its final event on the Ohio River at Tanners Creek, the Illini division wraps up on Lake Shelbyville, the Ozark division competes on Lake of the Ozarks, the Piedmont division finishes out on Kerr Lake and the Volunteer division closes out the season on Watts Bar Lake. Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing in each event for top awards up to $11,000 and $4,500 respectively.
When: Sept. 8-9, 2012
Where: Bama Division
Pickwick Lake
McFarland Park
200 James M. Spain Drive
Florence, Ala.
Hosted by the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Bureau
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The largemouth bass bite on Pickwick Lake has been inconsistent lately, but when it’s turned on, reports have been very good. A number of different patterns will be in play during this event as anglers are reporting fish on the ledges, chasing baitfish and in the vegetation. Anglers will be using a variety of baits for these patterns, including spinnerbaits, swimbaits, soft plastics and jigs. With so many patterns in play, anglers will be able to play to their strengths and it should make for an interesting tournament. The winning angler is expected to bring 40 to 44 pounds to the scales over the two tournament days.
Where: Hoosier Division
Ohio River at Tanners Creek
Lawrenceburg City Ramp
Tanners Creek Drive off of Highway 50
Lawrenceburg, Ind.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Limits of bass are still being reported on the Ohio River, despite reports that the bite has slowed from it’s phenomenal summer start. Water temperature is holding steady right around 80 degrees and water level is fairly normal for this time of year. The early-morning topwater bite is good, while anglers report more success fishing deeper during the afternoon. Buzz baits, spinnerbaits and jigs are all expected to be players in this tournament. The winning angler can expect to have around 24 pounds for a cumulative two-day weight.
Where: Illini Division
Lake Shelbyville
9th St. Ramp
9th St.
Shelbyville, Ill.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The largemouth bass are very active right now on Lake Shelbyville. The lake is being reported as being about 24 inches below normal level, but is rising with recent rains. Water temperature is hovering in the upper 70-degree range, and clarity is mixed – stained in the north end and gin clear in the south. Where an angler decides to fish will determine his pattern. A lot of success is being reported targeting the deep timber and stumps near river channels. Drop-shot rigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits will all produce nice stringers in this event. Thirty pounds is being predicted to be the winning weight in this two-day tournament.
Where: Ozark Division
Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks, Public Beach No. #2
711 Public Beach Rd.
Osage Beach, Mo.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Fishing on Lake of the Ozarks right now is being reported as fair. The bass are being reported as starting their early fall patterns. Water temperature is being reported in the upper 70s to lower 80s, and water clarity is dingy. Anglers are reporting the most success using soft plastics, crankbaits and jigs. The bass are finicky right now, as some are being reported shallow near structure and docks, and other days they are out deep in the middle of the bays and coves. Twenty-six to 28 pounds is expected to be the two-day winning weight total.
Where: Piedmont Division
Kerr Lake
Nutbush Park
115 Jack Wade Farm Rd.
Henderson, N.C.
Hosted by the Vance County Department of Tourism
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Water temperature is hovering right around 75 degrees and water clarity is reported as slightly stained to clear. The bass bite is tough right now, as the bass are schooling and on the move. However, when the fish are found the bite is very good. Football jigs, chatterbaits and crankbaits are all expected to be tools of the trade for anglers in this tournament. The winning angler can expect to bring 24 to 28 pounds to the scales in this two-day event, however, a 20-pound stringer on Kerr Lake can be found.
Where: Volunteer Division
Watts Bar Lake
Tom Fuller Park
Eureka Rd.
Rockwood, Tenn.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The bass bite on Watts Bar Lake has slowed a bit from its hot summer start. Anglers are reporting the most success near the lake structure and ledges as well as near the feeder creeks. Water level is at normal summer pool and the surface temperature is reported as being the in lower 80-degree range. Popular baits thrown in this event will be jigs, soft plastics and topwater lures. In this two-day event the winning angler is predicted to bring a cumulative weight of 33 to 35 pounds to the scales.
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. 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.