FLW

BROOKELAND, Texas (March 6, 2017) – Jason Bonds of Lufkin, Texas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 31 pounds, 5 ounces, Saturday to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Cowboy Division event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Bonds took home $8,941 for his win.

Bonds said he began his day sight-fishing for mid-lake bass using a Texas-rigged Blue Craw-colored Strike King Rage Bug. He said he caught two keepers that made it to the scale.

“I caught a 9-pounder, and one that was close to 8 pounds,” said Bonds, who earned his second win on Sam Rayburn in BFL competition. “I made my way through four or five pockets, and was able to catch some pretty nice fish.”

Around 11 a.m., Bonds said he began throwing a White Shadow-colored Strike King Popping Perch and an Electric Shad-colored Strike King Rage Swimmer and was able to put some more quality bass in the boat.

“I targeted bass that weren’t spawning yet in the same pockets,” said Bonds. “They either were finished spawning or cruising around looking for beds. The Popping Perch hasn’t been around too long, so I don’t think a lot of the fish have seen it. It’s got a unique sound to it.”

In the afternoon, Bonds said he returned to his sight-fishing hot spots to round out his limit.

“I knew where a couple of bass would be that would help me so I went back and caught them,” said Bonds.

The top 5 boaters finished the tournament in:Jason Bonds, Lufkin, Texas, five bass, 31-5, $6,941 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus; Albert Collins, Nacogdoches, Texas, five bass, 24-0, $2,875; Jeff Bridges, Lumberton, Texas, five bass, 20-8, $1,846; Justin O`Brian-Cooper, Pelican, La., five bass, 20-6, $1,295; Clint West, Beaumont, Texas, five bass, 19-12, $1,110.

Bonds’ biggest bass, which weighed in at 9 pounds even, was the largest of the event and also earned him the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $890.

Hugh Cosculluela of The Woodlands, Texas, weighed in five bass totaling 26 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win the Co-angler Division and the top prize of $2,775.

The top 5 co-anglers were: Hugh Cosculluela, The Woodlands, Texas, five bass, 26-7, $2,775; John Ellender Jr., Hemphill, Texas, five bass, 19-8, $1,388; Wade Bryan, Broaddus, Texas, five bass, 19-6, $1,369; Robert Royal, Vidor, Texas, five bass, 17-10, $648; Steven Fisher, Lufkin, Texas, five bass, 16-9, $555.

Bryan caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division, a largemouth weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $445.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional Championship on the Red River in Bossier City, Louisiana. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude outboard.