Lake Dardanelle Bass Fishing League 2 May 2015

[Mike Cork]

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (May 4, 2015) – Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Arkansas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the fourth Walmart Bass Fishing League Arkie Division tournament of 2015 on Lake Dardanelle. For his victory, Cifuentes earned $6,926.


Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Arkansas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to win the Arkie Division tournament on Lake Dardanelle and a check for $6,926. (FLW)

"This tournament was really fun to fish," said Cifuentes. "I know it was a tough day for a lot of anglers but I ended up having a great day."

Cifuentes said he started out by fishing grass in the Illinois Bayou using a Denali rod and a black and blue-colored Jewel Bait Magnum Casting Jig.

"I just swam it through the grass and targeted postspawn fish that were pulling up and feeding," Cifuentes said. "I probably had 14½ pounds by 10 a.m."

Around 1 p.m., Cifuentes said he focused on a windy bank where he found wood and rock mixed with grass and switched to a War Eagle spinnerbait.

"I caught three keepers and a 6-pounder by 1:30 p.m.," Cifuentes said. "I was feeling pretty good about my chances of winning by then."

Cifuentes said he caught 12 keepers over the course of the tournament.

"My gut decision to fish that bank worked out for me," Cifuentes said.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Joey Cifuentes, Clinton, Ark., five bass, 18-12, $3,926 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus + $1,000 Mercury Bonus
2nd:         Cody Davis, Greers Ferry, Ark., five bass, 15-15, $1,963
3rd:          David Ellis, Leola, Ark., five bass, 15-11, $1,309
4th:          Brandon Lee, Ratcliff, Ark., five bass, 15-7, $916
5th:          Samuel Hutson, Benton, Ark., five bass, 14-5, $785
6th:          Spencer Grace, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 14-1, $720
7th:          Zach King, Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 13-11, $654
8th:          Terry Cordum, Fort Smith, Ark., five bass, 13-9, $589
9th:          Ladd Owens, Hope, Ark., five bass, 13-8, $523
10th:        Jason Lieblong, Conway, Ark., five bass, 13-6, $458
             
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com. 

Todd Thomas of Fouke, Arkansas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces and earned the day's Big Bass award of $530.

Herbert Kimbrough of North Little Rock, Arkansas, weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 11 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win $1,963 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Herbert Kimbrough, North Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 11-4, $1,963
2nd:         Nick Shaw, Greenbrier, Ark., five bass, 10-15, $981
3rd:          Michael Andrus, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 10-9, $655
4th:          Jason Broomfield, Waldron, Ark., five bass, 10-8, $458
5th:          Randy Allen, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 10-6, $376
5th:          Tommy McCullar, Benton, Ark., five bass, 10-6, $376
7th:          Garret McMahan, Barling, Ark., five bass, 9-15, $327
8th:          Travis Harley, Sherwood, Ark., five bass, 9-12, $294
9th:          Bruce Thompson, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 9-5, $262
10th:        Stephen Tyson, Camden, Ark., four bass, 9-4, $229

John McNeill of Hot Springs, Arkansas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day's Big Bass award of $265.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, 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 50 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. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Rayovac FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.