HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Sept. 25, 2017) – Local angler Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, weighed a two-day cumulative of 10 bass totaling 20 pounds, 8 ounces, to win the Bass Fishing League (BFL) Arkie Division tournament on Lake Hamilton. Shuffield took home $5,277 for his efforts. According to post-tournament reports, Shuffield caught his fish on a buzzbait in less than 2 feet of water.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 20-8, $5,277
2nd: Fred Martin, North Little Rock, Ark., 10 bass, 18-1, $2,939
3rd: Justin Swayze, Gurdon, Ark., eight bass, 17-14, $2,331
4th: Matt Wood, Jessieville, Ark., 10 bass, 17-9, $1,185
5th: Huey Applegate, Jessieville, Ark., nine bass, 17-0, $1,015
6th: Leland Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 10 bass, 16-12, $931
7th: Danny Gwinn, Mount Ida, Ark., 10 bass, 16-1, $846
8th: Jake Ormond, Sterlington, La., 10 bass, 16-1, $762
9th: Dustin Huggins, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 16-0, $677
10th: Jamey Black, Sheridan, Ark., 10 bass, 15-6, $592
Swayze caught a 5-pound, 5-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the Boater Big Bass award of $637. Trevor Delaney of Benton, Arkansas, caught a two-day total of 10 bass bass weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces, to win the Co-angler Division and $2,539.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Trevor Delaney, Benton, Ark., 10 bass, 18-7, $2,539
2nd: Steve Standridge, Conway, Ark., seven bass, 13-4, $1,269
3rd: Michael Lucas, Forrest City, Ark., seven bass, 12-5, $846
4th: Jody Jones, Harvey, Ark., eight bass, 11-0, $592
5th: Rod Martinez, Benton, Ark., seven bass, 10-12, $608
6th: Mark Stevens, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 10-8, $784
7th: Stephen Simms, Hot Springs, Ark., eight bass, 10-4, $423
8th: Jerry Tabler, Mineral Springs, Ark., seven bass, 9-15, $431
9th: Steven Sherrill, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 9-1, $339
10th: Joey Taylor, Benton, Ark., seven bass, 8-10, $296
Stevens caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a fish weighing 4 pounds, 11 ounces – and earned the Co-angler Big Bass award of $319.