ROGERS, Ark. (Sept. 29, 2003) - J.R. Beehler of Bella Vista caught 10 bass weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces to win $5,676 at the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Super Bass Fishing Tournament, on Beaver Lake near Rogers. Beehler bested 86 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Arkie Division event of the regular season.
Beehler caught five bass Saturday weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces and caught another five weighing 9 pounds, 12 ounces Sunday to win the event.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Mark Hensiek of England (eight bass, 16 pounds, 5 ounces); Jeremiah Kindy of Benton (10 bass, 15 pounds, 7 ounces); Doyle Cain of Royal (10 bass, 14 pounds, 2 ounces); and Rich Dalbey of Greenville, Texas (10 bass, 13 pounds, 7 ounces).
Cain earned a $500 bonus as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. Mike Lemons of Conway and Brandon Rhoden of Sheridan tied for Boater Division big-bass award honors with a 3-pound, 2-ounce bass. Each earned $430 for their big bass.
Dewey Larson of Fayetteville led 81 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $2,705 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught five bass Saturday weighing 4 pounds, 9 ounces and followed that up Sunday with four bass weighing 4 pounds, 15 ounces to earn the win with a two-day total of nine bass weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Shar Fisher of Pea Ridge (five bass, 8 pounds, 3 ounces); Ken Douthit of Maysville (four bass, 8 pounds, 1 ounce); Kevin Harp of Huntsville (seven bass, 7 pounds, 10 ounces); and Raymond Thomas Jr. of Hot Springs Village (five bass, 7 pounds, 6 ounces).
Pine Drewyor of Tulsa, Okla., took co-angler big-bass honors and $405 with a 3-pound, 6-ounce bass.
Bill Fletcher of Hot Springs is the Arkie Division's Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1,020 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Scott Boatright of Sheridan is the Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 1,034 points.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Arkie Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 21-25 on the Red River near Natchitoches, La., where they will go up against top competitors from the Bama, Cowboy and Gulf Coast divisions for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.