Lake Ouachita Bass Fishing League 20 Sept 14

[Mike Cork]

CRANSTON WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE ARKIE DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE OUACHITA

Massey wins co-angler title

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Sept. 22, 2014) – Will Cranston of North Little Rock, Ark., weighed a two-day total of eight bass totaling 17 pounds, 11 ounces to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Super Tournament on Lake Ouachita Sunday. For his victory, Cranston earned $4,668.

"It was a tough tournament," said Cranston, who failed to bring in a five-bass limit on day two, after landing the tournament Big Bass on the first day. I caught five fish on Saturday. I caught one early, on a hump with a prop bait, and I caught three on a frog in the back of a creek with some matted grass. Then, late in the day, I caught a spotted bass on a hump on a walking bait.

"The second day I went back to the grass and I caught two keepers in there," continued Cranston. "Then I went back to where I caught the spotted bass and caught one more there, and that was it.

"Heading back to weigh in, I was sure I had had fallen to fifth or worse," said Cranston. "I had no idea that I would do this good. I just got back into the BFL circuit after 14 years. I thought I could do well, and it feels really great to win."

Cranston said he caught fish on a Paycheck Baits Repo Man, a Paycheck Baits Repo Man Late Payment, a Spro Bronzeye Poppin' Frog and an Ima HeliPs prop bait.

Rounding out the top 10 pros were:

                2nd:          Spencer Grace, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 17-3, $2,334
                3rd:          Zach King, Clarksville, Ark., 10 bass, 16-14, $1,557
                4th:           Michael Yoder, Texarkana, Ark., nine bass, 15-3, $1,089
                5th:           Justin Swayze, Gurdon, Ark., nine bass, 14-4, $934
                6th:           Kevin Hartman, Greenbrier, Ark., 10 bass, 14-2, $856
                7th:           Darby Stiles, Hot Springs, Ark., seven bass, 13-10, $778
                8th:           Spencer Shuffield, Bismarck, Ark., nine bass, 13-8, $700
                9th:           Russell Richmond, Little Rock, Ark., six bass, 13-7, $622
                10th:        Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale, Ark., six bass, 13-4, $545
               
Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.

Michael Massey of Amity, Ark., weighed in a two-day total of nine bass totaling 13 pounds, 7 ounces to win $2,334 in the co-angler division Sunday.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

                2nd:          Johnny Manning, Arkadelphia, Ark., six bass, 12-0, $1,167
                3rd:          Jeff Reece, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 9-6, $779
                4th:           John McCullar, Benton, Ark., six bass, 8-13, $545
                5th:           Brandon Baltz, Walnut Ridge, Ark., six bass, 8-11, $467
                6th:           Baylee Linker, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 7-5, $428
                7th:           Justin Snow, Nash, Texas, five bass, 6-8, $389
                8th:           Nathan Hall, Sheridan, Ark., three bass, 5-9, $350
                9th:           Tabitha Lancaster, Arkadelphia, Ark., three bass, 5-3, $311
                10th:        Ladd Owens, Hope, Ark., four bass, 5-3, $272

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.