STAFFORD WINS WAL-MART BASS FISHING LEAGUE EVENT ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE

CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2007) – Boater Robert Stafford of Okeechobee, Fla., won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Everglades Division 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 Snickers 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 presented by Chevy. With a total purse of $1 million, a potential $140,000 cash prize going to the winning boater and as much as $70,000 going to the winning co-angler, the All-American is one of the most prestigious and lucrative events in bass fishing. The winning boater and winning co-angler at the All-American also advance to the no-entry-fee $2 million 2008 Forrest Wood Cup. This event, featuring a top award of $1 million, is the sport’s biggest championship.

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.

Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits will offer combined purses of nearly $43 million through 238 events in 2007.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world’s leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.