Lake Dardanelle Bass Fishing League 21 Jun 14

[Mike Cork]

 RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (June 23, 2014) – Sawyer Grace of Russellville, Ark., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 22 pounds even Saturday to win the fourth Walmart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division tournament of 2014 on Lake Dardanelle. For his victory, Grace earned $3,632.
     
      "I ran up the river to start," said Grace, a student at Arkansas Tech University. "I fished a Booyah Poppin' Pad Crasher frog over a key stretch of pads that was a little bit deeper than usual. I caught four fish in the first few hours and then moved out to some deep drops."

      Grace said that he finished his limit with a Texas-rigged plum-colored Yum F2 Ribbontail Worm that he dragged over drops with brush on them in 8 to 15 feet of water.

      "I think I only caught seven keepers all day," said Grace. "It felt pretty good to win. I'm only 20 years old and to be able to win at such a young age is pretty cool."

      Rounding out the top 10 pros were:

            2nd:   Duke Gunnell, Bee Branch, Ark., five bass, 21-11, $1,816
            3rd:   Ronald Mounts, Hoxie, Ark., five bass, 18-6, $1,210
            4th:    Paul Helton, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 17-9, $847 + $300 Evinrude Bonus
            5th:    Shawn Gordon, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 17-4, $726
            6th:    Will Cranston, N. Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 16-9, $666
            7th:    Jason Lieblong, Conway, Ark., five bass, 15-10, $605
            8th:    Mike Rhinehart, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 15-3, $545
            9th:    Zach King, Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 14-11, $484
            10th: Randy Brickell, Royal, Ark., five bass, 14-6, $424

      Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.

      Dayton Taylor of Beebe, Ark., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to win $1,816 in the co-angler division.

      Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

            2nd:   Dale Clark, Malvern, Ark., five bass, 15-13, $908
            3rd:   Bob West, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 14-7, $606
            4th:    Roderick Gripe, Bella Vista, Ark., four bass, 13-5, $424
            5th:    Tim Morris, Redfield, Ark., four bass, 11-5, $363
            6th:    Tom Olson, Benton, Ark., four bass, 10-9, $333
            7th:    Larry Carter, Little Rock, Ark., three bass, 9-1, $303
            8th:    Chris Pursley, Russellville, Ark., three bass, 8-13, $272
            9th:    Larry Johnson, Lavaca, Ark., four bass, 8-9, $242
            10th: Robert Scott, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 8-5, $212

      The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 16-18 Regional Championship on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Jasper, Texas. 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.

       The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Rayovac FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.