Coming Up in Walmart BFL Competition
OutdoorHub 04.25.12
WHAT:
The 2012 Walmart BFL season continues with five tournaments on Saturday, May 5. The Arkie division continues its season on Greers Ferry Lake, the Mountain division competes on Laurel Lake, the North Carolina division visits Lake Wylie, the Okie division continues on Fort Gibson Lake and the Shenandoah division holds its second event of the year on Smith Mountain Lake. 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, May 5, 2012
WHERE:
Arkie Division
Greers Ferry Lake
Dam Site Marina
319 Heber Springs North Road
Heber Springs, Ark.
Hosted by the Heber Springs Chamber of Commerce
NOTES:
Greers Ferry Lake, located in central Arkansas, is currently seeing bass in all three different phases of the spawn. With no specific pattern being hot, angler versatility will be key in this tournament. The lake temperature is being reported as being in the upper 60-degree range and should be warming significantly over the next week as the warmer weather arrives. Finesse fishing with soft plastics will be popular, as will spinnerbaits and crankbaits. The winning angler can expect to weigh in right around 15 pounds.
WHERE:
Mountain Division
Laurel Lake
Holly Bay Marina & Resort
674 Highway 1193
London, Ky.
Hosted by the London/Laurel County Tourist Commission
NOTES:
Fishing has been fair as of late on Laurel Lake. Water temperature is hovering in the mid- 60-degree range, and the bass are still on the beds. Sight fishing should be a factor as tournament anglers will be using typical spawn-phase tactics. Spinnerbaits, soft plastics and the Alabama rig will all be thrown by anglers in this event. Fifteen to 17 pounds can be expected as the winning weight in this event.
WHERE:
North Carolina Division
Lake Wylie
Buster Boyd’s Landing
2990 Highway 49/Old Charlotte Highway
Lake Wylie, S.C.
Hosted by the Rock Hill/York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
NOTES:
Lake Wylie is hot right now, as the shad spawn is in full effect. Tournament anglers will be targeting the points and banks as the bass feed on the shad. The bass will be in the spawn to post-spawn phase. Baits that are expected to be hot for this event include topwater baits, crankbaits and jigs. The winning weight should near 20 pounds.
WHERE:
Okie Division
Fort Gibson Lake
Taylor Ferry Marina & Resort
334179 Marina Drive
Wagoner, Okla.
NOTES:
Fort Gibson Lake, located in Northeast Oklahoma on the Grand River, is currently seeing bass in a spawn to post-spawn phase. Water temperatures on this fishery are creeping into the upper 60’s and will continue to rise after the warm weather being forecast this week arrives. Jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and soft plastics will all be used by anglers in this event as they target depths of 5 to 20 feet. The winning angler can expect to have a weight nearing 18 to 20 pounds.
WHERE:
Shenandoah Division
Smith Mountain Lake
Parkway Marina
16918 Smith Mt. Lake Parkway
Huddleston, Va.
NOTES:
Bass fishing on Smith Mountain Lake has been good and is expected to get even better as the weather continues to warm. Water temperatures are being reported in the mid 60-degree range and clarity is slightly stained. Anglers have been targeting shallow water as the bass are still spawning and staying close to the beds. If the weather cooperates, sight fishing will be a significant strategy in this tournament. Anglers will be throwing soft plastics, drop-shot rigs and jigs in this event. The winning weight should be right around 20 pounds in this tournament.
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/FLWOutdoors.
