The 2012 Walmart BFL season continues with six division-ending super tournaments on Saturday, Sept. 22-23. The Great Lakes division finishes on the Mississippi River at La Crosse, the Mountain division wraps up on the Barren River, the Music City division concludes its season on Old Hickory Lake, the North Carolina division closes out on High Rock Lake, the Savannah River division holds its final event on Lake Hartwell and the Shenandoah division finishes on the Potomac River. 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: Saturday, Sept. 22-23, 2012
Where: Great Lakes Division
Mississippi River at La Crosse
West Copeland & Clinton Street Boat Ramp
Clinton Street
La Crosse, Wis.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Recent reports from the Mississippi have the water level returning to normal after being low for the last month. Water temperatures are hovering right around 70 degrees, and the bass should be just starting to enter the normal fall patterns by tournament time. Anglers will be targeting the eelgrass and vegetation along the river banks. Jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits will all be popular baits thrown in this event. The winning angler can expect a winning two-day weight of 28 to 30 pounds.
Where: Mountain Division
Barren River
Port Oliver Recreation Area & Ramp
4200 Barren River Dam Rd.
Scottsville, Ky.
Hosted by the Glasgow/Barren County Chamber of Commerce
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The bass-fishing bite on Barren River Lake is very good right now with many quality limits being produced. Water temperatures are in the upper-70 degree range and water clarity is stained with visibility around 1 foot. The biggest fish are being reported as coming from the shallow grass. Soft plastics, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits will all produce for anglers during this tournament. Thirty to 34 pounds is being projected to be the winning weight in this two-day event.
Where: Music City Division
Old Hickory Lake
Bulls Creek Access
200 Odoms Bend Rd.
Gallatin, Tenn.
Hosted by the Sumner County Convention & Visitors Bureau
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The bass bite on Old Hickory Lake has been tough as of late. Water temperatures are still in the mid- to upper-80 degree range, and very clear water clarity should make for a tough tournament. Anglers will be targeting the secondary points and ledges as well as rock banks and grassy areas. Crankbaits, jigs and soft plastics will all catch fish for anglers in this event. In this two-day tournament, the winning angler is expected to bring 28 to 31 pounds to the scales.
Where: North Carolina Division
High Rock Lake
Tamarac Marina & Campground
9120 Bringle Ferry Rd.
Salisbury, N.C.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Bass fishing on High Rock Lake is being reported as good right now. Water temperatures are being reported in the upper-70 to lower-80 degree range, and falling daily. Bass will be entering into the normal fall patterns very soon, possibly by tournament time. Popular baits used by tournament anglers in this event will be crankbaits, buzzbaits and soft plastics. Thirty-four to 36 pounds is expected to be the winning tournament weight in this two-day event.
Where: Savannah River Division
Lake Hartwell
Tugaloo State Park
1763 Tugaloo State Park Rd.
Lavonia, Ga.
Hosted by Tugaloo State Park
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: The water level is extremely low on Lake Hartwell, and the bass fishing has been extremely slow. The latest reports have levels down nearly 13 feet, with water clarity being stained. Anglers are reporting the most success with the early-morning bite, as the afternoons have been tough. Tournament anglers should target the deep rocks and wood structure, as well as shallow shady areas such as docks and main lake points. Popular baits thrown in this event will be crankbaits, jigs and light Carolina rigs. Thirty to 34 pounds is expected to be the winning weight brought to the scales in this two-day tournament.
Where: Shenandoah Division
Potomac River
Smallwood State Park
2750 Sweden Point Rd.
Marbury, Md.
Hosted by the Charles County Government Office of Tourism
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Finesse fishing will be the name of the game on this tidal river fishery. Tournament anglers have a variety of choices to make in this tournament. Belmont Bay, Mattawoman Creek and Aquia Creek will all be popular locations for tournament anglers, as well as the decision to follow the tide or to concentrate on one area. Water temperatures have dipped slightly into the upper-70 degree range and weather could play a large role in this event. Chatterbaits, frogs and shaky-head rigs will all produce for anglers in this event. The winning tournament angler can expect to have 28 to 32 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 Fa
