Lineberger Wins Bass Fishing League Tournament On Lake Wylie

LAKE WYLIE, S.C. (April 7, 2014) – Shane Lineberger of Lincolnton, N.C., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division tournament on Lake Wylie. For his victory, Lineberger earned $4,235.  A 20-year veteran, Lineberger earned the fifth BFL win of his career – his first on Lake Wylie – and pushed his career earnings mark with FLW to over $100,000.       “It’s special to get a win close to home,” said Lineberger. “I’ve won a lot of other places, but Lake Wylie is only about a half hour from me and it’s like my second home.       “I fished a Deep South Lures buzzbait and a Brian’s Crankbaits Scatter Bee in super-shallow pockets. The bass were spawning, but because of the dirty water you couldn’t sight-fish them. The water was so shallow that sometimes you could see them tailing like a redfish.       “I’m not a slow fisherman, but I had to fish very thoroughly,” Lineberger explained. “A lot of times I would have to make two or three casts to a stump or a piece of wood that looked like it would have a fish on it. I had the weight I weighed in by 10 a.m.”       Rounding out the top 10 pros were:             2nd:   Jason Lowman, Hickory, N.C., five bass, 17-11, $2,118            3rd:   Richard Stankwytch, Troutman, N.C., five bass, 16-13, $1,413            4th:    Rob Digh, Denver, N.C., five bass, 15-15, $917 + $300 Evinrude Bonus            4th:    Marcos Malucelli, Fort Mill, S.C., five bass, 15-15, $917            6th:    Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 15-10, $776 + $300 Evinrude Bonus            7th:    Kelly Logan, Morganton, N.C., five bass, 15-3, $706            8th:    Klaus Hadschin, Granite Falls, N.C., five bass, 14-5, $635            9th:    Brian Travis, Conover, N.C., five bass, 14-3, $565            10th:  Chris Marshall, Forest City, N.C., five bass, 13-14, $494       Wayne Smelser of Rural Retreat, Va., weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 14 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win $2,118 in the co-angler division.  Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:             2nd:   Nicholas Shaver, Marion, N.C., five bass, 14-8, $1,059            3rd:   Shorty Vaow, Cornelius, N.C., five bass, 13-6, $706            4th:    John Novinger, Bluefield, W.Va., five bass, 13-2, $494            5th:    Andy Kearns, High Point, N.C., five bass, 12-15, $424            6th:    Darrin Albertson, Fort Mill, S.C., four bass, 12-13, $388            7th:    Dwight Martinez, Whiteville, N.C., five bass, 12-1, $353            8th:    George Hirapetian, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 10-14, $318            9th:    Chris Carnes, York, S.C., five bass, 10-6, $264            9th:    Cole Huskins, Mt. Holly, N.C., four bass, 10-6, $264       The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 9-11 Regional Championship on Lake Cherokee in Morristown, Tenn. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.