Walmart BFL Competition coming to Lake Keowee

The 2013 Walmart BFL will host a tournament on Saturday, Feb. 9 at Lake Keowee. Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing in the event for top awards up to $3,000. Lake Keowee is one of the few lakes in the country where it is commonplace for anglers to bring three different types of keeper bass to the scales. Local reports state that spotted bass are the most widespread, followed by largemouth and smallmouth. With an average depth of 54 feet and a general absence of cover, the bass in Keowee are often found relating to depth changes including channels, humps, points and roadbeds. During the winter and spring seasons, multiple fishing patterns are often present on the lake. Shallow-water anglers should expect to be throwing jigs, soft plastics and slow-moving baits, while the deep-water specialists may find drop-shotting to be most productive. Angler versatility will be one of the keys to victory in this tournament. Early predictions estimate weights from 14 to 16 pounds to be on top of the leader board. 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 are competing 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.