Zach Bechtel of Cuba, Missouri, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 21 pounds, 7 ounces to win the 2018 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division event on Lake of the Ozarks. For his win, Bechtel earned the first place prize of $5,020 plus a $2,000 Ranger Cup contingency bonus.
"I had been fishing in a few local tournaments over the past few weeks and had been catching a lot of fish," says Bechtel. "But, when I went out on Friday to practice for this event, the fish were gone. I looked and looked and I couldn't find them anywhere. I knew I was in trouble.
Bechtel fished around 20 different points through the day with a ¾-ounce silver and red-colored War Eagle spinnerbait with a smoke shad-colored Keitech Swing Impact FAT swimbait on it. He estimated that he caught 10 or 11 keepers throughout the day.