Walmart Bass Fishing League - Okie
Grand Lake (Sept. 15-16, 2012)
GROVE, Okla. – Blake Ellison of Inola, Okla., weighed a two-day total of 10 bass for 29 pounds, 2 ounces to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Okie Division Super Tournament on Grand Lake in Grove, Okla., on Sunday. For his victory, Ellison earned $5,197.
“I was fishing a few different areas with a few different patterns,” said Ellison. “On the first day I started out fishing up the river, but it was rainy and drizzled all day, so I had to scramble to find the clear water. I moved deeper and found the clearer water, throwing a shaky head and topwater baits. I fished the breaklines, in 8 to 12 feet of water.
“On day two it cleared up a little bit, and I was able to fish shallow,” Ellison continued. “I was flipping shallow wood and cover on flats using junebug-colored beaver-style baits. The fishing was a little better on Saturday, as I boated over 20 keepers on Saturday and only 15 on Sunday.”
Ellison credits his experience and decision making with getting him the win.
“I fished a lot out here last fall,” he said. “And I had one day of practice last week. I knew that I could find them shallow, but during practice I really concentrated on finding them in the clear water in case it rained. I think that working the multiple patterns and keeping an open mind were the keys to my victory in this tournament.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros:
2nd: Chris Torkleson, Sand Springs, Okla., 10 bass, 27-7, $2,598
3rd: Preston Frazell, Glenpool, Okla., nine bass, 27-0, $1,733
4th: Lee Sanders, Stillwater, Okla., 10 bass, 26-15, $1,213
5th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., nine bass, 26-13, $1,039
6th: Rick Kelley, Ada, Okla., 10 bass, 26-0, $953
7th: Craig Smith, Dewey, Okla., eight bass, 25-2, $866
8th: Jason Wedel, Lowell, Ark., eight bass, 24-6, $780
9th: Jeff Bullinger, Sapulpa, Okla., 10 bass, 23-15, $693
10th: Shonn Goodwin, Moore, Okla., 10 bass, 23-13, $606
Complete results can be found here.
Slaton captures co-angler title
Charley Slaton of Valliant, Okla., weighed in nine bass totaling 25 pounds, 6 ounces Sunday to win $2,599 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:
2nd: Darin Comstock, Denison, Texas, 10 bass, 22-13, $1,299
3rd: Brad Reynolds, Lowell, Ark., nine bass, 22-0, $867
4th: Donnie Cox, Chouteau, Okla., nine bass, 20-0, $606
5th: Dylan Duncan, Kansas, Okla., eight bass, 17-4, $520
6th: Jerry Liebst, Wichita, Kan., nine bass, 17-3, $476
7th: T.J. Martin, Broken Arrow, Okla., nine bass, 16-4, $433
8th: Dana Kifer, Stillwater, Okla., seven bass, 15-8, $390
9th: Matthew Alberty, Tahlequah, Okla., six bass, 14-6, $346
10th: Travis Edwards, Edmond, Okla., seven bass, 13-8, $303
Complete co-angler results can be found here.
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 18-20 Regional Championship on the Red River in Natchitoches, La. 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. 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.
