Wooley Wins Walmart BFL on Pickwick Lake

IUKA, Miss., – Michael Wooley of Collierville, Tenn., weighed a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 45 pounds, 3 ounces Sunday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Mississippi Division event on Pickwick Lake. For his victory, Wooley earned $8,230.

Wooley earned the first BFL win of his career in grand fashion, beating out second place by nearly 10 pounds. “It felt great to get my first win,” said Wooley. “It’s good to win on my own for once.

“All the fish that I caught came off of one spot in 14 feet of water,” said Wooley. “The first day I caught them really quickly. I had 19 pounds by 8:30 a.m.. It took me longer on the second day, but I still had my weight by 10:30 a.m..”

Wooley found his key spot nearly by accident. “I was looking for some other fish and I just happened on these. It was a spot I’d never fished before, but they were the right size fish. Nearly every fish was big.”

The morning bite was key for Wooley. “The conditions were bad. It was hot and slick, with no current. It was pretty much a morning deal.”

Wooley said he caught his fish on a ½-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Football Shakey Head with a Strike King KVD Perfect Plastic Finesse Worm and a ¾-ounce Strike King Tour Grade Football Jig.

Rounding out the top 10 pros were:

2nd: David Allen, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 35-12, $3,115
3rd: William Davis, Sheffield, Ala., 10 bass, 34-8, $2,077
4th: Jeremy Utley, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 33-8, $1,454
5th: Jason Lambert, Pickwick Dam, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-0, $1,246
6th: Shane Hogue, Hamilton, Ala., 10 bass, 28-4, $1,142
7th: Chris Wooten, West Point, Miss., 10 bass, 27-4, $1,038
8th: Nathan Ashmore, Baldwyn, Miss., 10 bass, 26-7, $934
9th: Roger Stegall, Iuka, Miss., eight bass, 25-6, $831
10th: Alan Langford, Tupelo, Miss., 10 bass, 25-5, $727

Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.

Craig Mayo of Meridian, Miss., weighed in a nine bass totaling 27 pounds, 2 ounces Sunday to win $3,115 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

2nd: Matt Wooten, West Point, Miss., nine bass, 24-7, $1,557
3rd: Brice Cohea, Ripley, Miss., nine bass, 21-11, $1,040
4th: Eddie Laster, Morton, Miss., eight bass, 17-2, $727
5th: Shane Cade, Clinton, Miss., eight bass, 16-15, $623
6th: Gregory Pittman, Memphis, Tenn., five bass, 16-3, $571
7th: Shayne Barfield, Meridian, Miss., six bass, 14-4, $519
8th: Brian Cissom, Ripley, Miss., five bass, 13-3, $467
9th: Jerry Riddle, Summit, Miss., five bass, 12-12, $415
10th: Jason Smith, Killen, Ala., five bass, 12-2, $363

The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Ky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 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 EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.