HOUMA, La. (Feb. 10, 2003) - Anthony Kyzar of Houma topped 89 Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Bayou Black with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him $2,848 and 200 points in the Boater Division.
Kyzar caught his limit on a chartreuse and white spinner bait in 5 feet of water. The catch topped second-place boater Fedless Verdin Jr. of Chalmette, La., by 2 pounds. Verdin finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 2 ounces worth $1,424. Kyzar also received a $1,000 bonus from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.
Mark Richard of Bridge City, La. (five bass, 16 pounds, 13 ounces, $968); Bill England of Denham Springs, La. (five bass, 14 pounds, 15 ounces, $740); and Nolan Poirrier of Donaldsonville, La., (five bass, 14 pounds, 12 ounces, $627) rounded out the top five boaters.
James McKeithen of Baton Rouge, La., earned $500 as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. He finished 13th with a four-bass catch of 11 pounds, 3 ounces.
Troy Cunningham of Houma earned boater big-bass honors and $445 with a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass. He finished in 32nd place overall thanks to the one bass.
Stephen Capdeboscq of Independence, La., claimed first place and $1,424 in the 89-competitor Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler Russell Parker of St. Amant, La., by 1 pound, 12 ounces thanks to a chartreuse and white spinner bait. Parker finished with a four-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 13 ounces worth $712.
Alan Fitts of Vidor, Texas (three bass, 9 pounds, 6 ounces, $484); Al Gagliarducci of Agawam, Mass. (two bass, 9 pounds, 4 ounces, $370); and Chad Concrecienne of Franklin, La., (three bass, 9 pounds, 2 ounces, $313) rounded out the top five co-anglers.
Gagliarducci earned co-angler big-bass honors and $223 in his division with a 4-pound, 14-ounce bass.
The Wal-Mart BFL will visit Toledo Bend March 1 for the second of five Louisiana Division events. The boater with the most points after the division's season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 13-14 on the Atchafalaya Basin, will be declared the Yamaha "Be the Best" Points Leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.
The top 30 Louisiana Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 7-11 on Lake Eufaula near Eufaula, Ala., where they will go up against top competitors from the Mississippi, Music City and Savannah River divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American - one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.