ON TOUR
BFL REGIONALS
T-H MARINE FLW BFL REGIONAL RECAP
Six Regional championships and the Wild Card comprised the 2018 T-H
Marine FLW Bass Fishing League postseason, which wrapped up in November.
In each tournament, the top six boaters and top six co-anglers qualified for the
2019 BFL All-American. They’ll be joined by top finishers from the 2019 The
Bass Federation National Championship and YETI FLW College Fishing National
Championship.
Strategies, though typical of fall throughout the country, covered a wide
range of approaches.
st. John’s river – oct. 11-13
Morrow’s better fish came while fishing a Texas-rigged black grape Zoom Ol’ Monster worm around docks, but he also
caught a few on a walking bait and a drop-shot. He spent the tournament fishing within the main-river area.
All-American Boater Qualifiers
All-American Co-angler Qualifiers
1. Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga.
1. Randy Paquette, Sarasota, Fla.
2. Matt Kinney, Bunnell, Fla.
2. Gary Murphy, Homer, Ga.
3. Grant Kelly, Milledgeville, Ga.
3. Donnie Davis, Greer, S.C.
4. Jason Reed, Hollister, Fla.
4. Ernie Thompson, Anthony, Fla.
5. Nicholas Hoinig, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
5. Frank Godwin Jr., Bainbridge, Ga.
6. Kip Carter, Mansfield, Ga.
6. Levi Crossway, Jacksonville, Fla.
chesapeake Bay – oct. 11-13
Thompson caught his day-one fish on a drop-shot worked around a big laydown in the North East River. With cooler
water on day two, he changed to a grub on a 1/4-ounce ball head and targeted pilings around a pier and other shallow
cover. As the tide started falling, he drifted a 5-inch green pumpkin Yamamoto Senko with a 1/16-ounce weight through a
current-swept area that was about 13 feet deep.
All-American Co-angler Qualifiers
All-American Boater Qualifiers
1. Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa.
1. Joseph Thompson, Coatesville, Pa.
2. William Allie, Wynantskill, N.Y.
2. Ronnie Baker, Providence Forge, Va.
3. Henry McKee, Haddon Heights, N.J.
3. Moo Bae, West Friendship, Md.
4. Michael Nelms, Hartwood, Va.
4. Ryan Bauman, Fleetwood, Pa.
5. Howard Smith, Hamilton, Ohio
5. Chris Martinkovic, Hamilton, Ohio
6. David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va.
6. Steven Wiseman, Bryans Road, Md.
lake norman – oct. 18-20
Walser caught most of his fish flipping docks with nearby stumps and brush using a Texas-rigged Zoom Baby Brush Hog
and Zoom Z-Craw Jr. He credits much of his success to fishing “ugly places” – spots most other anglers didn’t bother to fish
because they didn’t look ideal. A few key fish came between docks on a chartreuse spinnerbait with a Colorado and willow
blade.
All-American Co-angler Qualifiers
All-American Boater Qualifiers
1. Wayne Smelser, Rural Retreat, Va.
1. Robert Walser, Lexington, N.C.
2. Larry Freeman Jr., La Crosse, Va.
2. Scott Beattie, Lincolnton, N.C.
3. Tristen Trull, Mt. Holly, N.C.
3. Dylan Fulk, Concord, N.C.
4. Ben Dacey, Chesterfield, Va.
4. Bryan New, Belmont, N.C.
5. Jeff Rikard, Leesville, S.C.
5. Michael Fox, Statesville, N.C.
6. Khris Williams, Mt. Holly, N.C.
6. Travis Young, Charlotte, N.C.
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