EDWARDS WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE HOOSIER DIVISION EVENT ON OHIO RIVER

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CANNELTON, Ind. (Aug. 3, 2015) – Gary Edwards of Milton, Kentucky, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 11 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the third Walmart Bass Fishing League Hoosier Division tournament on the Ohio River. For his victory, Edwards earned $6,963.

“I’ve had a lot of second- and third-place finishes over the years, but never a win,” said Edwards. “It feels really good to finally take a tournament.”

Edwards said he focused on clay banks in a small creek off of the main river in order to catch his winning stringer.

“The fish were setting up well due to the amount of shad fry in the area,” said Edwards. “I also liked the water clarity, which was a factor I focused on during practice.”

The Kentucky angler said he caught six keepers using a black and blue-colored jig with a blue Big Bite Baits worm.

“The fish were very inactive so I had to really slow down and work the jig,” said Edwards.

Edwards said he caught the majority of his fish within the first two hours of the tournament, but his biggest fish – a 3-pounder – came just two minutes before he had to leave his spot to return to the weigh-in.

“That fish put me over the top,” said Edwards. “I was fortunate enough to cull a smaller fish out and secure the win.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Gary Edwards, Milton, Ky., five bass, 11-11, $3,963 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus + $1,000 Mercury Bonus

2nd:         Jason Hubbard, Lewisport, Ky., five bass, 9-10, $1,981

3rd:          Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 9-1, $1,322

4th:          Scott Bateman, Jasper, Ind., five bass, 8-9, $925

5th:          Luke Foli, Fishers, Ind., four bass, 7-8, $793

6th:          Clyde McNaron, Trenton, Ohio, four bass, 7-6, $727

7th:          Chris Wilkinson, Farmersburg, Ind., five bass, 7-3, $660

8th:          Larry Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 6-14, $594

9th:          Garry Kincaid, Martinsville, Ind., three bass, 6-10, $528

10th:        Todd Hensley, New Albany, Ind., three bass, 6-7, $439

10th:        Pete Justice, Sharonville, Ohio, five bass, 6-7, $439

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

McNaron caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 2 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $535.

Austin LeClere of Cannelton, Indiana, weighed in two bass totaling 5 pounds, 8 ounces Saturday to win $1,981 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Austin LeClere, Cannelton, Ind., two bass, 5-8, $1,981

2nd:         Rob Leavitt, Richmond, Ind., two bass, 4-14, $991

3rd:          Mark Heidt, Versailles, Ind., four bass, 4-11, $662

4th:          Jacob Bierman, Cincinnati, Ohio, two bass, 4-10, $462

5th:          Matt Orschell, Lawrenceburg, Ind., three bass, 4-9, $396

6th:          Tim Shields, Greenwood, Ind., three bass, 4-1, $363

7th:          Gary McClure, Churubusco, Ind., three bass, 3-14, $330

8th:          Jamil Abdullah, McCordsville, Ind., two bass, 3-13, $280

8th:          Douglas  Salzman, Newburgh, Ind., three bass, 3-13, $280

10th:        Charles   Hardin, Evansville, Ind., three bass, 3-12, $231

Bierman caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $267.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete 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. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Rayovac FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

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