TRENTON, Mich. (July 14, 2003) - Kevin Vida of Clare claimed $4,126 as the winner of the Bass Fishing League Michigan Division's second regular-season bass fishing tournament, held on the Detroit River near Trenton. Vida led the field of 155 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces.
Vida caught his bass Saturday using a watermelon/chartreuse Mizmo tube. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Vida also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats, and he earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Steve Filkins of Kalamazoo (five bass, 16 pounds, 10 ounces, $2,063); Kent Hart of Westland (five bass, 15 pounds, 14 ounces, $1,403); Michael Patterson of Bloomdale, Ohio (five bass, 15 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,073); and Barry Dagen of Muskegon (five bass, 15 pounds, 12 ounces, $908).
Randy Barclay of Hilliard, Ohio, topped 155 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 11 ounces that he caught using a Venom tube. Barclay earned $2,063 for the win.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Andy White of Westland (five bass, 14 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,031); Bruce Hunter of Auburn, Ind. (five bass, 14 pounds, 1 ounce, $701); Gary Michalski of Naperville, Ill. (five bass, 14 pounds, $536); and Ronald Dera Jr. of Clinton Township (five bass, 13 pounds, 8 ounces, $454).
Lawrence Leonardi of Clinton Township earned boater big-bass honors and $775 with a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass, and Ron Norris of Portage earned co-angler big-bass honors and $388 in his division with a 4-pound, 4-ounce bass.
The Michigan Division will make its third regular-season stop Aug. 2 on the Grand River in West Olive followed by an event on the Detroit River in Trenton Aug. 23. The final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 27-28 on the Detroit River in Trenton. Following the regular season, the boater with the most points will be declared the Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler with the most points following the regular season will earn $500.