04-15-2008, 12:51 AM
APEX, North Carolina - Boater Billy Bledsoe of Fayetteville, N.C., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division tournament on Jordan Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 21 pounds, 14 ounces. The victory earned Bledsoe $3,925 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes Regional Championship in Lenoir City, Tenn., Oct 18-20, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Bledsoe caught his bass on a Carolina rig on main-lake points. Rounding out the top five boaters are Lee Williams of Durham, N.C. (four bass, 20-15, $2,309); Richard Szczerbala of New Hill, N.C. (five bass, 19-11, $1,539); Rip Bass of Spring Hope, N.C. (four bass, 16-7, $1,078) and Michael Fox of Statesville, N.C. (five bass, 15-9, $924). Maurice Freeze of Concord, N.C., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $680 for a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass.
John McBride of Mount Airy, N.C., earned $2,309 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to three bass weighing 10 pounds, 9 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are James Howerton of Danville, Va. (three bass, 8-11, $1,155); Robert Peaslee of Pulaski, Va. (three bass, 8-6, $770); Ricky Byrd of Independence, Va. (two bass, 7-14, $539) and Zachary Blalock of Raleigh, N.C. (three bass, 7-12, $462). Jason Mulkey of Granite Falls, N.C., earned $340 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 7-pound bass.
The division's fourth event will be held June 16 on Table Rock Lake in Salisbury, N.C., and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 8-9 on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C. Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions.
Media Contact
Jayme Gordon, FLW Outdoors (270) 252 -1630 or jgordon@flwoutdoors.com
Bledsoe caught his bass on a Carolina rig on main-lake points. Rounding out the top five boaters are Lee Williams of Durham, N.C. (four bass, 20-15, $2,309); Richard Szczerbala of New Hill, N.C. (five bass, 19-11, $1,539); Rip Bass of Spring Hope, N.C. (four bass, 16-7, $1,078) and Michael Fox of Statesville, N.C. (five bass, 15-9, $924). Maurice Freeze of Concord, N.C., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $680 for a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass.
John McBride of Mount Airy, N.C., earned $2,309 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to three bass weighing 10 pounds, 9 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are James Howerton of Danville, Va. (three bass, 8-11, $1,155); Robert Peaslee of Pulaski, Va. (three bass, 8-6, $770); Ricky Byrd of Independence, Va. (two bass, 7-14, $539) and Zachary Blalock of Raleigh, N.C. (three bass, 7-12, $462). Jason Mulkey of Granite Falls, N.C., earned $340 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 7-pound bass.
The division's fourth event will be held June 16 on Table Rock Lake in Salisbury, N.C., and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 8-9 on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C. Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions.
Media Contact
Jayme Gordon, FLW Outdoors (270) 252 -1630 or jgordon@flwoutdoors.com