The 2013 Walmart BFL season continues with four tournaments on Saturday, March 2. The Arkie division opens on Lake Ouachita, the LBL division starts competition on Kentucky/Barkley lakes, the Piedmont division opens on High Rock Lake and the South Carolina division kicks off on Lake Murray. Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing in each event for top awards up to $8,000 and $3,000 respectively.
When: Saturday, March 2
Where: Arkie Division
Lake Ouachita
Mountain Harbor Marina
34 Marina Drive
Mount Ida, Ark.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Water temperatures on this west-central Arkansas body of water are currently hovering around 50 degrees and lake levels are at 575 feet, which is slightly below full summer pool. Bass are being caught with football jigs and shad-colored swimbaits connected to Alabama rigs. Secondary lake points in creek channels and main-lake points near major creeks are reported to be the best locations for the bigger concentrations of bass. If the springtime weather cooperates, the bass could be moving to warmer waters.
Where: LBL Division
Kentucky/Barkley lakes
Kentucky Dam Marina
446 Marina Drive
Gilbertsville, Ky.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Kentucky and Barkley lakes are known for their legendary ledges and big clusters of bass. Deep-structure fishing techniques will be popular, as many anglers can expect to be seen throwing several different varieties of crankbaits and jigs. Anglers may also choose to pick off suspending fish with jerkbaits, Alabama rigs and lipless crankbaits. Weather reports have shown cold fronts passing through the area every few days, keeping water temperatures below 50 degrees. Large pre-spawn females are being caught consistently and if conditions permit, a winning weight could be more than 20 pounds.
Where: Piedmont Division
High Rock Lake
Tamarac Marina & Campground
9120 Bringle Ferry Road
Salisbury, N.C.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Water level on North Carolina’s second-largest lake is 6 feet above the seasonal average and temperatures are still in the high 40s. These colder temperatures are making High Rock’s bass sluggish and reports show that the most consistent patterns have been out deeper with slower presentations, such as jigs, plastics and Carolina rigs. Sinking jerkbaits are also producing quality bass on the deeper structure. Recent rains and runoff have muddied waters a bit more than usual, which may push bass shallower.
Where: South Carolina Division
Lake Murray
Dreher Island State Park
3677 State Park Road
Prosperity, S.C.
To sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Water temperatures have been stable around the 50-degree mark. Reports indicate that bass fishing has been a little slow, but is expected to improve as temperatures continue to warm. Fish are being found both deep and shallow, with reports of the afternoon bite being best. Plenty of 2- to 3-pound bass are being caught, with a few 4- to 5- pounders showing up occasionally. Deep-water tactics such as Carolina rigs, jigs and drop-shots are producing on open water humps. Shallow-water tactics can produce later on in the day after the water has had a chance to warm.
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 2013 BFL All-American is being held June 27-29 on Nickajack Lake in Chattanooga, Tenn. 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 anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2013 over the course of 220 tournaments across five tournament circuits, four of which provide an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show and is broadcast to more than 559 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water.” For more information about FLW visit FLWOutdoors.com and look for FLW on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.
