For additional information, please contact:
Dave Washburn, Communications Director, (270) 252-1607
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ELROD WINS WAL-MART BASS FISHING LEAGUE SHENANDOAH DIVISION TOURNAMENT
RICHMOND, Va., (July 29, 2002) – Bryan Elrod of Richmond, Va., topped
162 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on the James River
with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him $4,268
and 200 points in the Boater Division.
Elrod caught his limit in stormy weather using plastic worms. The
catch topped second-place boater Michael Martinez of Lanexa, Va., by 4
ounces. Martinez finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch
weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces worth $2,134.
Frank Poirier of Hopewell, Va. (five bass, 11 pounds, 9 ounces,
$1,280); Quinten Stacy of Bassett, Va. (five bass, 11 pounds, 6 ounces,
$1,024); and Brian Tucci of Dumfries, Va., (five bass, 11 pounds, 1
ounce, $939) rounded out the top five boaters.
John Gillis of Portsmouth, Va., earned boater big-bass honors and $810
with a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass. He finished in 49th place overall thanks
to the one bass.
Tony Woodard of Four Oaks, N.C., received a $500 bonus from Ranger
Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive
program. He finished seventh with a five-bass catch weighing 9 pounds,
15 ounces.
Stephen Watts of Rising Sun, Md., claimed first place and $2,134 in
the 162-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 8 pounds,
1 ounce. He surpassed second-place co-angler Scottie Sauls of Bumpass,
Va., by 13 ounces thanks to a white and chartreuse Pop-R. Sauls finished
with a five-bass catch weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces worth $1,067.
Jeff Lugar of McGaheysville, Va. (five bass, 6 pounds, 15 ounces,
$640); Thomas Thompson of Arlington, Va. (four bass, 6 pounds, 6 ounces,
$512); and Jerry Gray of Glen Allen, Va., (four bass, 6 pounds, 2
ounces, $469) rounded out the top five co-anglers.
Co-angler Kevin Bradbury of Crofton, Md., earned big-bass honors and
$405 in his division with a 3-pound, 4-ounce bass. He finished in 25th
place.
Overall, 30 five-bass limits were caught during the tournament.
The Shenandoah Division’s final regular-season event, a two-day Super
Tournament, will be held Sept. 21-22 on the Potomac River. The boater
with the most points after the Super Tournament will be declared the
Yamaha “Be the Best” Points Leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler
amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.
The top 30 Shenandoah Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to
regional competition presented by BC Powder Oct. 29-Nov. 2 on Wheeler
Lake near Rogersville, Ala., where they will go up against top
competitors from the Bulldog, LBL and Music City divisions for a shot at
qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative
post-season tournaments in competitive angling.
2002 BFL awards could reach $7 million based on full fields.
Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart BFL are Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet Foods, BC
Powder, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Conseco, Energizer,
EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, Garmin,
Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan,
Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, Stren, US Bank, Weed
Eater and Yamaha Outboards.