MIDDLETON WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE SHENANDOAH DIVISION OPENER ON SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE

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HUDDLESTON, Va., (March 23, 2015) – Dennis Middleton of Madison Heights, Virginia, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the first Walmart Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division tournament of 2015 on Smith Mountain Lake. For his victory, Middleton earned $7,199.

“To start the season with a win is awesome,” said Middleton. “It was a great day of fishing and I’m already looking forward to the next tournament.”

Middleton said that he targeted the prespawn fish in the mid lake area of Smith Mountain. He targeted the natural cover – wood, rock and a combination of the two.

“I threw crankbaits looking to imitate the shad that the bass were feeding on,” said Middleton. “They were really responding to shad and other natural-colored baits.”

As the water temperature rose, Middleton decided to change strategies and flip jigs. He used a green-pumpkin jig with Missile Baits D Bomb and Twin Turbo trailers. Middleton said he caught all of his fish in less than 10 feet of water.

“I was fishing 46 to 48 degree water temperatures,” said Middleton. “Over the course of the day it rose two degrees, so I knew the fish would be shallower.

“I only caught six keepers, but they were spread throughout the day which kept things exciting.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

               1st:          Dennis Middleton, Madison Heights, Va., five bass, 19-11, $4,199 + $2,000 Ranger Cup bonus + $1,000 Mercury Bonus

               2nd:         Ben Reynolds, Callands, Va., five bass, 16-11, $2,100

               3rd:          Bryan Elrod, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 15-11, $1,398

               4th:          Brian Peak, Wytheville, Va., five bass, 15-6, $980

               5th:          Brandon Reynolds, Callands, Va., five bass, 15-5. $840

               6th:          Ronnie Baker, Providence Forge, Va., five bass, 14-15, $770

               7th:          Geoffrey Hill, Rocky Mount, Va., five bass, 14-14, $700

               8th:          Johnny Martin, Moneta, Va., five bass, 14-7, $630

               9th:          Rick McFaul, Phoenix, Md., five bass, 13-10, $560

               10th:        Mike Altizer, Vinton, Va., five bass, 12-13, $490

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Chip Adams of Fredericksburg, Virginia, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $585.

Warren Ferguson of Peterstown, West Virginia weighed in a four bass totaling 16 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win $2,100 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

           1st:          Warren Ferguson, Peterstown, W.Va., four bass, 16-2, $2,100

           2nd:         Todd Hurst, Pulaski, Va., five bass, 15-3, $1,050

           3rd:          Justin Hicks, Roanoke, Va., five bass, 11-15, $701

           4th:          Travis Riley, Evington, Va., three bass, 10-12, $490

           5th:          Edward Louthen, Princeton, W.Va., four bass, 9-15, $420

           6th:          Aaron Bartlett, Mechanicsville, Va., two bass, 8-15, $385

           7th:          Jeff Lederman, Powhatan, Va., four bass, 8-11, $350

           8th:          Mike Eldridge, Blacklick, Pa., four bass, 7-14, $315

           9th:          William Kyte, Waldorf, Md., two bass, 6-7, $280

         10th:        Mark Finley, Palmyra, Va., two bass , 6-4, $245

Bartlett caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $292.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Lake Wateree in Camden, South Carolina. 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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