Coming Up in Walmart BFL Competition: Advisory for Tuesday, June 4, 2013
OutdoorHub 06.04.13
WHAT: The 2013 Walmart BFL season continues with six tournaments on Saturday, June 15. The Arkie division holds its fourth event of the season on Lake Dardanelle, the Bama division continues on Lake Neely Henry, the Bulldog division competes on Lake Oconee, the Great Lakes division competes in their second event of the year on the Wolf River Chain of Lakes, the Shenandoah division continues on the Potomac River and the South Carolina division will fish on Lake Wylie. 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, June 15, 2013
WHERE: Arkie Division
Lake Dardanelle
Dardanelle State Park
100 State Park Drive
Russellville, Ark.
NOTES: With water temperatures being reported in the mid-80-degree range, fishing on Lake Dardanelle has been heating up. The vast majority of the bass population is now in the summertime post-spawn phase, and anglers are reporting success all over the massive fishery, with the most success being found in the near creeks and main river points. Popular baits thrown by tournament anglers in this event will be jigs, crankbaits, buzzbaits and frogs. Anglers will be able to fish to their strengths in this tournament and fans can expect to see a hotly-contested weigh-in as weights near the top should be extremely close. The winning angler in this event can expect to bring 18 to 22 pounds to the scales.
WHERE: Bama Division
Lake Neely Henry
Coosa Landing
200 Lake St.
Gadsden, Ala.
NOTES: The bite is being reported as tough right now on Lake Neely Henry. The recent heavy rainfall’s have water levels up, and the clarity muddy. Local anglers report the early morning topwater bite as being the best, but the conditions quickly toughen. Before the rainfall, bass were still being reported as being found up shallow, but the dirty water and heavy current have moved these fish. Historically, deep-diving crankbaits and Texas- and Carolina-rigged soft plastics have always been popular baits of choice amongst tournament anglers on Neely Henry. In this event, expect anglers to be throwing topwater baits, spinnerbaits and other types of reaction baits. If conditions remain tough, the winning weight could only reach 13 to 15 pounds.
WHERE: Bulldog Division
Lake Oconee
Sugar Creek Marina
353 Parks Mill Road
Buckhead, Ga.
NOTES: Current fishing reports from local Lake Oconee anglers have the bass fishing bite as fair. The lake is currently at full pool, and water temperatures are hovering right around 80 degrees. Clarity is clear on the south end of the lake, but stained on the north end. The majority of bass have spawned and are moving off of the banks to their usual summer haunts. Anglers are expected to target the sea walls and docks. Popular baits thrown in this event will be topwater baits, Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits and shaky-head rigs. Fifteen to 17 pounds is expected to be the winning stringer’s weight in this tournament.
WHERE: Great Lakes Division
Wolf River Chain
Winneconne Waterfront Park
South First St.
Winneconne, Wis.
NOTES: Despite it being June, the Wolf River Chain of Lakes is seeing a pretty good spring-time bite. The late winter has the bass still in springtime patterns, and most of the fish are only starting the spawn phase. Tournament anglers expect a lot of fish to be caught in this event, but the angler that finds the larger schools will win this event. Normal pre-spawn tactics including Texas- and Carolina-rigging soft plastics, crankbaits and jigs are all expected to produce for anglers in this tournament. The winning tournament anglers should bring right around 15 pounds to the scales.
WHERE: Shenandoah Division
Potomac River
Smallwood State Park
2750 Sweden Point Road
Marbury, Md.
NOTES: Fishing right now on the Potomac River is as hot as it has ever been, and local anglers have reported that they are catching bass on any lure that they want to throw. Anglers will be able to fish the style most comfortable to them and that will make for a very competitive tournament. As always on the Potomac River, anglers can expect the tides to play a role for the tournament winner. Any bait thrown is producing right now, but expect spinnerbaits, crankbaits and tubes to be amongst the top producers. The winning weight in this event is expected to be 18 to 20 pounds.
WHERE: South Carolina Division
Lake Wylie
Buster Boyd’s Landing
3990 Charlotte Highway
Lake Wylie, S.C.
NOTES: Bass fishing right now on Lake Wylie is being reported as good. Fish are spread out all over the lake, and anglers can catch bass deep or shallow. More schools of fish are being reported as being shallow, but the bigger fish needed to win the tournament are being found on the deep humps and points. Popular baits thrown in this tournament will be crankbaits, spoons, football jigs and soft-plastics. Fifteen to 17 pounds is being predicted as the winning weight in this tournament.
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. The 2013 BFL All-American is being held June 27-29 on Nickajack Lake in Chattanooga, Tenn. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
