GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (June 6, 2005) - Boater Shawn Penn of Eddyville earned $3,943 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Illini Division bass fishing tournament on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Illini Division events and featured 124 boaters vying for the win, which earned Penn 200 points in the Boater Division.
Penn's winning catch of five bass weighed 20 pounds. He was fishing ledges in Kentucky Lake with a brown jig when he caught his bass.
Finishing second was Bobby McMullin of Pevely, Mo., with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce that earned him $1,972. Mike Rushing of Paducah claimed $1,292 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 16 pounds, 3 ounces. In fourth was Drew Lynch of Paducah with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 11 ounces worth $1,004, and finishing fifth and earning $824 was Mike Sheffer of Morganfield with five bass weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces.
McMullin earned an additional $750 as winner of the Ranger Cup and Powered by Yamaha awards.
Rushing took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $620 for a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a DD 22.
Chris Winston of Barnhart, Mo., bested 124 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $1,972 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds that he caught on soft-plastic worms.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ron Robinson of Carterville, Ill. (three bass, 8 pounds, 6 ounces, $986); Clint Kapp of Highland, Ill. (three bass, 8 pounds, 3 ounces, $644); Travis Gesell of Salem, Ill. (three bass, 7 pounds, 15 ounces, $502); and Larry L. Martin of Clarksville, Tenn. (three bass, 7 pounds, 12 ounces, $412).
Kapp earned $310 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass he caught on a plastic lizard.
The Illini Division's next event will be held July 9 on The Ohio River near Paducah. The Illini Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 10-11 with a two-day Super Tournament on Shelbyville Lake near Findlay, Ill.