CLEWISTON, Fla. - Boater Robert Stafford of Okeechobee, Fla., won the Bass Fishing League Everglades Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Okeechobee Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 21 pounds, 10 ounces. The victory earned Stafford $3,368 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Seminole Regional Championship in Bainbridge, Ga., Oct. 25-27 where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Michael McCoy of Jupiter, Fla. (five bass, 20-4, $1,981); Aymon Wilcox of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. (five bass, 15-14, $1,322); Byron Childers of Coconut Creek, Fla. (four bass, 13-10, $925) and Allan Cagle of Deltona, Fla. (five bass, 13-8, $793).
McCoy also took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning him an additional $535 for a 8-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Brock Stanaland of Jupiter, Fla., earned $1,981 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to four bass weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Richard Prowant of Moore Haven, Fla. (five bass, 12-5, $991); Chris Brill of Lehigh Acres, Fla. (two bass, 9-10, $662); William Wood of West Palm Beach, Fla. (five bass, 9-6, $462) and Todd Schlueter of Englewood, Fla. (five bass, 8-13, $396).
Ian Berent of Ballwin, Mo., earned $267 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 8-pound, 8-ounce bass.
All Everglades Division tournaments are held on Lake Okeechobee. The next event will be March 3, followed by tournament March 31. The division's fourth event will be held April 28, and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 29-30.
Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Lake Seminole Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the 2008 All-American. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup.
The $8.8 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League features 28 divisions nationwide. In BFL competition, boaters and co-anglers are randomly paired. Boaters supply the boat and fish from the front deck against other boaters while co-anglers compete from the back deck against other co-anglers.