Bortner places 12th in Wal-Mart tournament

David Bortner of Cape Girardeau placed 12th in a field of 164 bass anglers in the Wal-Mart BFL regional qualifier last weekend at Lake Shelbyville, Ill.

Bortner's finish earned him one of 22 paychecks awarded at the tournament. The event was the second of five leading up to the regional championship set to take place in Mississippi later this fall.

Bortner targeted post-spawn bass in transition to their deeper summer locations. His fish were near their spawning areas on slow, sloping, rounded points and suspended in about 5 feet of water. The bass were not on cover but were holding in the middle of the water column. To catch these lethargic bass took focus and sensitive equipment. Bortner used a Falcon Lowrider rod and 30-pound Berkly Fireline to work his Carolina Rigged Southern Pro Tube. He also used spinning equipment to work a weightless Senko stick bait.

Conditions at Lake Shelbyville were sunny and warm with water temperatures in the low 70s. The lake was at recreational summer pool.