BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 17, 2004) - FLW Outdoors announced Wednesday the schedule for the 2004 Bass Fishing League. The BFL returns with 24 divisions nationwide featuring five regular-season events each, and anglers will again compete for their share of more than $6 million.
Change is in the mix for 2004, as the Gulf Coast Division has been moved farther east to become more accessible to more anglers in south Georgia and north Florida and has been renamed the Seminole Division.
Each BFL division features four one-day tournaments that pay out as much as $32,850 in cash prizes, including as much as $5,000 to the winning boater. The winning co-angler can earn as much as $2,500. A two-day Super Tournament rounds out the regular season in each division and awards as much as $70,950, including as much as $9,600 to the winning boater and $4,800 to the winning co-angler.
Ranger Boats will award a $1,000 bonus to the winning boater if he participates in the Ranger Cup incentive program or $500 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant at each BFL event in 2004. Garmin will award the winning boater a $1,000 bonus if he uses only Garmin electronics and at least one of the units is a qualifying Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder, and Bombardier will award the winning boater a $1,000 bonus if his boat is equipped with an Evinrude direct-injection outboard purchased after Dec. 31, 2002.
The boater points champion in each BFL division will also earn $1,000 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader, and Yamaha will award $10,000 to the points champion who advances the farthest at the All-American championship in 2005.
Each co-angler points champion will earn $500 as the "Be the Best" points leader, and $5,000 will be awarded by Yamaha to the co-angler points champion who advances the farthest at the All-American.
"The Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League has always been the backbone of FLW Outdoors," said Charlie Hoover, president and chief executive officer for FLW Outdoors. "Our organization was founded on grassroots bass-fishing tournaments, and many of today's best bass anglers got their start in the BFL. We're proud that the Bass Fishing League continues to provide world-class competition on the best fisheries in the nation, and with a $6.3 million payout, it's an opportunity no weekend angler should miss."
Field sizes remain the same for 2004, with 200 boaters and 200 co-anglers comprising a full field, and entry fees also remain unchanged. Boater Division entry fees are $150 for one-day events and $300 for Super Tournaments, and co-angler entry fees are $75 for one-day tournaments and $150 for Super Tournaments.
Anglers who finish in the top 30 in year-end points standings within a division will advance to one of six regionals, where they will compete for one of six slots in the 2005 All-American. The winning boater at each regional will take home a new Chevy truck and an Evinrude- or Yamaha-powered Ranger boat. The winning co-angler will claim an Evinrude- or Yamaha-powered Ranger boat.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on except for Super Tournaments, where 300 points are awarded to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. These points determine angler standings.
Anglers who enter all five tournaments within a division but do not advance to regional competition are eligible to fish the Chevy Trucks Wild Card, which will also send six boaters and six co-anglers to the 2005 All-American.
In the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League's boater and co-angler format, the boater supplies the boat, controls boat movement and competes against other boaters. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers.
Each year the top 30 BFL boaters and co-anglers from each division are eligible to advance to the EverStart Series. All-American champions are eligible for Wal-Mart FLW Tour competition. The top 10 pros and co-anglers from each of the EverStart Series' four divisions are eligible to advance to the FLW Tour. Former BFL anglers who have become fishing superstars on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour include Kellogg's pro Clark Wendlandt, the legendary Rick Clunn and four-time FLW Tour champion David Fritts.
Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League entry dates
Jan. 6 - Bulldog, Gator, Seminole, Louisiana, Mississippi, Savannah River
Jan. 8 - Arkie, Carolina, Choo Choo, Cowboy, Mountain, Music City
Jan. 13 - Bama, LBL, Okie, Ozark, Piedmont, Shenandoah
Jan. 15 - Buckeye, Great Lakes, Hoosier, Illini, Michigan, Northeast