St. Cloud anglers finish in-the-money in Kissimmee MLF-BFL event

St. Cloud’s Ray Trudeau walked away tie for second place in the Major League Fishing Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Gator Division tournament held last weekend on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.

Trudeau, who has 40plus years of competitive experience, is no stranger to these waters. Coming off a first-place finish with partner Walter Thompson in the Toho Marine and Outdoors Team Trail’s first tournament of the year the weekend prior on the same waters, brought a five-fish limit to the scales Saturday afternoon that totalled 17 pounds, 13 ounces, tying him and with Paul Vanzant of Umatilla, for second place out of 143 boats.

Launching late in the field with boat number 137, he had some built up confidence on where to go the day of the BFL tournament. Trudeau has fished nearly 90 tournaments at this level and has accrued 14 top-10 finishes in the MLF tournament series, with one career win and has earned over $35,000 in winnings to date.

Fellow St. Cloud angler Richard Ralston, who participated in the same tournament in the Strike King Co–Angler portion of the event, went home with the Big Fish honors, landing an 8-pound, 8-ounce Florida Trophy Catch qualifying bass. He finished 15th in his division and cashed two checks that day!

Max Moneuse of Parrish, Fla., won the tournament with his 21.09-pound sack on the boater side, and Brandon Pabon of Deltona, secured first place on the Co-Angler side with 18.05 pounds — a good day on the water, especially with the bite being tough. The next stop for the MLF–BFL tour will be on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Lake County March 2.

Until next time, Tight Lines friends!