Coming Up in Walmart BFL Competition
OutdoorHub 07.05.12
WHAT:
The 2012 Walmart BFL season continues with five tournaments on Saturday, July 14. The Buckeye division holds its third tournament of the season on the Ohio River in Maysville, the Great Lakes division blasts off on the Mississippi River in Alma, the Illini division continues on the Ohio River in Golconda, the Michigan Division competes on the Detroit River and the Northeast division continues at Oneida 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, July 14, 2012
WHERE:
Buckeye Division
Ohio River
Maysville River Park
Main Street
Maysville, Ky.
NOTES:
The bass bite on the Ohio River has been as hot as the temperature as of late. Anglers are reporting good fishing and nice limits of bass. Water temperature is in the lower 80-degree range and is expected to hold there for the next few weeks. Bass are being found in the deeper, cooler water, but can be found shallow early in the morning and later in the evening. Baits thrown by anglers in this event will include soft plastics, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. The winning angler is expected to bring around 13 to 14 pounds to the scales.
WHERE:
Great Lakes Division
Mississippi River
Alma Marina
125 Beach Harbor Road
Alma, Wis.
Hosted by the Alma Marina
NOTES:
The bite has slowed on the Mississippi River the past week as the recent mayfly hatch has provided plenty of food for the hungry bass. Bass are known gluttons though, and anglers will still be able to have a successful tournament. Water temperature has been hovering from 77 to 80 degrees, and the water is up and very clear. Crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps and topwater baits are all expected to produce for anglers in this event. Sixteen to 18 pounds is expected to be the winning weight in this event.
WHERE:
Illini Division
Ohio River
Golconda, Ill.
RR 1 Highway 146 North
Golconda, Ill.
NOTES:
Fishing is good right now on the Ohio River. Water temperatures are holding steady in the upper 70-degree range and the river levels are normal at 30 feet. The bass bite is being reported as being the best in the early morning, but fish can be caught all day long. Anglers are expected to be casting Senkos, tubes and crankbaits, as all are expected to produce in this tournament. The winning angler can expect to bring around 20 to 22 pounds to the scales.
WHERE:
Michigan Division
Detroit River
Elizabeth Park Marina
200 Grosse Ile Parkway
Trenton, Mich.
NOTES:
The bass bite on the Detroit River right now is being reported as strong. In addition to the great largemouth fishing, the hot smallmouth bite will definitely play a factor in this event as well, and many mixed bags are expected. Water level on the river has been holding steady right around 30 feet and water temperatures are being reported as hovering in the upper 70- to lower 80-degree range. Popular baits thrown by anglers in this event will be soft plastics, crankbaits and drop-shot rigs. The tournament winner is expected to weigh in around 20 pounds for this event.
WHERE:
Northeast Division
Oneida Lake
Oneida Shores County Park
9400 Bartell Road
Brewerton, N.Y.
NOTES:
The latest report from Oneida Lake says fishing has been great on this central New York fishery. The most success chasing the Oneida bass has been reported as coming along the southern shore of the lake. Tournament anglers will be targeting the shallow structure and grass from 6 to 10 feet of water. Rat-L-Traps, jigs, flukes and other soft plastics will all produce for anglers in this event. The winning angler is expected to bring around 17 to 18 pounds to the weigh-in stage.
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. 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.
