Huggins Wins Walmart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Event on Greers Ferry
OutdoorHub 05.06.14
Dustin Huggins of Russellville, Ark., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 10 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the third Walmart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division tournament of 2014 on Greers Ferry. For his victory, Huggins earned $3,926.
“I started out on the lower end of the lake looking for a kicker largemouth, but I never got it,” said Huggins. “The water was up about four feet and back in the bushes, but I guess the fish hadn’t moved back there yet.
“Around 9:30 a.m. I made the decision to move back up the lake and start fishing the first break of the old shoreline.”
That decision proved to be a good one as Huggins managed to catch six keeper bass on his newly found pattern.
“The break was mostly rock and pea gravel,” explained Huggins. “I was fishing a lizard on a Carolina rig, with about a four foot leader. I think the longer leader made a big difference, because it let the bait float higher up off of the bottom.
“When I got back to the ramp I texted my wife and told her that I’d probably have a top-20 finish,” said Huggins. “I was shocked when I weighed in and they said I was the current leader. I’ve only fished five BFL events, and it feels pretty good to win.”
Huggins said he caught most of his fish on a six-inch green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Lizard with a chartreuse-colored tail.
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Doug Thompson, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 10-10, $1,963
3rd: Steven Powell, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 10-8, $1,309
4th: Benjie Belton, Cabot, Ark., five bass, 10-5, $916
5th: Chris Layton, North Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 10-4, $785
6th: Jeremy Holderfield, Edgemont, Ark., five bass, 10-3, $687
6th: Russell Richmond, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 10-3, $687
8th: Guy Hanna, Judsonia, Ark.., five bass, 10-1, $589
9th: David Ellis, Leola, Ark., five bass, 10-0, $523
10th: Duke Gunnell, Bee Branch, Ark., five bass, 9-15, $458
Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.
Mike Webster of Atkins, Ark., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 9 pounds, 13 ounces Saturday to win $1,963 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: J.D. Marlar, Chester, Ark., five bass, 9-3, $818
2nd: Tim Morris, Redfield, Ark., five bass, 9-3, $818
4th: Shad Reeves, Drasco, Ark., five bass, 9-2, $458
5th: Tabitha Lancaster, Arkadelphia, Ark., five bass, 9-1, $393
6th: Trevor Delaney, Benton, Ark., five bass, 8-13, $360
7th: Robert Scott, Little Rock, five bass, 8-11, $327
8th: Randy Peek, Maumelle, Ark., five bass, 8-8, $294
9th: Joe Ward, Williford, Ark., five bass, 8-5, $262
10th: Ricky Powell, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 8-0, $229
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 16-18 Regional Championship on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Jasper, Texas. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
