Cranston Wins Walmart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Event on Lake Ouachita
OutdoorHub 09.22.14
Will Cranston of North Little Rock, Ark., weighed a two-day total of eight bass totaling 17 pounds, 11 ounces to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Super Tournament on Lake Ouachita Sunday. For his victory, Cranston earned $4,668.
“It was a tough tournament,” said Cranston, who failed to bring in a five-bass limit on day two, after landing the tournament Big Bass on the first day. I caught five fish on Saturday. I caught one early, on a hump with a prop bait, and I caught three on a frog in the back of a creek with some matted grass. Then, late in the day, I caught a spotted bass on a hump on a walking bait.
“The second day I went back to the grass and I caught two keepers in there,” continued Cranston. “Then I went back to where I caught the spotted bass and caught one more there, and that was it.
“Heading back to weigh in, I was sure I had had fallen to fifth or worse,” said Cranston. “I had no idea that I would do this good. I just got back into the BFL circuit after 14 years. I thought I could do well, and it feels really great to win.”
Cranston said he caught fish on a Paycheck Baits Repo Man, a Paycheck Baits Repo Man Late Payment, a Spro Bronzeye Poppin’ Frog and an Ima HeliPs prop bait.
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Spencer Grace, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 17-3, $2,334
3rd: Zach King, Clarksville, Ark., 10 bass, 16-14, $1,557
4th: Michael Yoder, Texarkana, Ark., nine bass, 15-3, $1,089
5th: Justin Swayze, Gurdon, Ark., nine bass, 14-4, $934
6th: Kevin Hartman, Greenbrier, Ark., 10 bass, 14-2, $856
7th: Darby Stiles, Hot Springs, Ark., seven bass, 13-10, $778
8th: Spencer Shuffield, Bismarck, Ark., nine bass, 13-8, $700
9th: Russell Richmond, Little Rock, Ark., six bass, 13-7, $622
10th: Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale, Ark., six bass, 13-4, $545
Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.
Michael Massey of Amity, Ark., weighed in a two-day total of nine bass totaling 13 pounds, 7 ounces to win $2,334 in the co-angler division Sunday.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Johnny Manning, Arkadelphia, Ark., six bass, 12-0, $1,167
3rd: Jeff Reece, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 9-6, $779
4th: John McCullar, Benton, Ark., six bass, 8-13, $545
5th: Brandon Baltz, Walnut Ridge, Ark., six bass, 8-11, $467
6th: Baylee Linker, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 7-5, $428
7th: Justin Snow, Nash, Texas, five bass, 6-8, $389
8th: Nathan Hall, Sheridan, Ark., three bass, 5-9, $350
9th: Tabitha Lancaster, Arkadelphia, Ark., three bass, 5-3, $311
10th: Ladd Owens, Hope, Ark., four bass, 5-3, $272
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.
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 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 presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Rayovac FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
Contact
JODY WHITE
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
o: 612.337.1948 c: 802.233.6094
e. jody.white@flwfishing.com
twitter: @jodyblanco
www.flwfishing.com
