CHERRY WINS WAL-MART BASS FISHING LEAGUE CHEVY WILD CARD ON OLD HICKORY LAKE
CHERRY WINS WAL-MART BASS FISHING LEAGUE CHEVY WILD CARD ON OLD HICKORY LAKE
GALLATIN, Tenn. (Oct. 30, 2006) - Boater Hank Cherry of Charlotte, N.C., earned $6,457 Saturday as winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Chevy Wild Card event on Old Hickory Lake. Anglers who entered all five of their BFL division's events and didn't qualify for a Regional Championship were invited to compete in the two-day event.
Cherry's winning two-day catch of nine bass weighed 18 pounds, 13 ounces. In addition to the prize money, Cherry earned a ticket to the 2007 $1 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American, one of the most prestigious tournaments in bass fishing, where the winning boater will earn as much as $140,000 and the winning co-angler will earn as much as $70,000.
Cherry also earned an additional $1,000 for winning the Ranger Cup contingency award.
The top six boaters and the top six co-anglers at the Chevy Wild Card earned a spot to compete in the All-American. Rounding out the top six boaters were George Crain of Cropwell, Ala. (seven bass, 17 pounds, 5 ounces, $3,228); Freddy Hurley of Somerset, Ky. (10 bass, 16 pounds, 2 ounces); Mike Robinson of Acworth, Ga. (seven bass, 15 pounds, 6 ounces, $2,438); Robert Boyd of Russellville, Ala. (six bass, 14 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,722); and Harvey Miller of Trafalgar, Ind. (six bass, 13 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,363).
The Boater Division big bass award for day one went to Tommy Stevens of Morganfield, Ky., with a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass earning him $930. The big bass award on day two went to Michael Scully of Louisville, Ky., with a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass that also earned him $930.
Gerlad Shaw of Franklin, Ind., earned $3,618 as the co-angler winner, thanks to a two-day total of four bass weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces.
Rounding out the top six co-anglers were Tom Messer of Douglasville, Ga. (three bass, 8 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,809); Rick Moewe of Nashville, Tenn. (four bass, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,367); Anthony Davis of McCalla, Ala. (three bass, 7 pounds, 15 ounces, $965); Gary White of Lamar, Mo. (two bass, 7 pounds, 6 ounces, $764); and David Wright of Winston, Ga. (five bass, 6 pounds, 15 ounces, $683).
The Co-angler big bass award on day one went to Roger Moody of Dixon, Mo., with a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass earning him $553. On day two, the big bass award went to Keith Odom of Pinson, Ala., for landing a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass that also earned him $553.
As the nation's leading provider of affordable, close-to-home weekend tournaments, the BFL is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. It also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series and ultimately the Wal-Mart FLW Tour - bass fishing's most lucrative tournament series. Former BFL anglers who have become fishing superstars on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour include Kellogg's pro Clark Wendlandt, Ranger pro Tommy Biffle and four-time FLW Tour champion David Fritts.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Stratos Owners' Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $37.9 million through 249 events in 2006.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
Wal-Mart and many of America's largest and most-respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world's leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.
