Boater David Hooker (left) of Stafford, Va., and John Hutchins of Warrenton, Va., tied for the win at the Walmart BFL Shenandoah Division on the Potomac River with five bass that weighed 19-6. Each angler earned $3,546. (Submitted photo)
MARBURY, Md. -– David Hooker of Stafford, Va., and John Hutchins of Warrenton, Va., each weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 6 ounces Saturday to tie for the win at the Walmart Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division event on the Potomac River. Each took home $3,546 for their victory.
“I was fishing about 20 minutes south of takeoff,” said Hooker. “I was slow rolling ½-ounce ChatterBaits in grass beds. I had about 15 pounds by 9 o’clock. The early morning bite was really good, but by about 11:30 things slowed way down. I think I only caught two fish after noon.
“I stayed in my first area about half the day,” Hooker continued. “Then the tide started to pull out bringing in the mud which dirtied my water and I had to leave. After that I fished grass beds on the main river on the Maryland side mostly using ChatterBaits, but I also threw some Spro Frogs.”
Hooker indicated that the wind was key in turning on the ChatterBait bite.
While Hooker went south to fish, Hutchins was fishing grass beds north of the main river. His go-to bait was a green pumpkin trick worm.
Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:
-- 3rd: Ernie Freeman, Lothian, Md., five bass, 17-7, $1,576
-- 4th: Charlie Russler, Falling Waters, W. Va., five bass, 17-6, $1,103
-- 5th: Mike Hoskings, Spotsylvania, Va., five bass, 16-14, $946
-- 6th: Wesley Harris, Rustburg, Va., five bass, 16-13, $867
-- 7th: Randy Redden, Farmville, Va., five bass, 15-13, $788
-- 8th: Michael Belter, Reidsville, N.C., five bass, 15-10, $709
-- 9th: Chris Dillow, Waynesboro, Va., five bass, 15-7, $591
-- 9th: George Lambeth, Thomasville, N.C., five bass, 15-7, $591 plus $1,000 Evinrude bonus
Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.
Marvin Reese of Gwynn Oak, Md., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 8 ounces Saturday to win $2,364 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
-- 2nd: Mike Wray, Chester, Va., five bass, 18-3, $1,182
-- 3rd: Kermit Crowder, Matoaca, Va., five bass, 16-0, $788
-- 4th: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 15-4, $552
-- 5th: Rumnea Kelly, Boyds, Md., five bass, 15-3, $453
-- 5th: Mike Morris, Dover, Del., five bass, 15-3, $453
-- 7th: Chris Jackson, Marshall, Va., five bass, 14-13, $394
-- 8th: Josh Demaury, Troutville, Va., five bass, 14-6, $355
-- 9th: Jacob Bumgarner, Monroe, Va., five bass, 14-0, $315
-- 10th: Michael Nelms, Hartwood, Va., five bass, 13-15, $276
The next BFL Shenandoah Division tournament is scheduled for July 21 on the James River in Richmond, Va. After the fifth Shenandoah Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 11-13 Regional Championship on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 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 EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.