TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 23, 2004) - Boater Division competitor Joe Balog of Harrison Township earned $3,853 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Michigan Division bass fishing tournament on the Detroit River in Trenton. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Michigan Division events. The regular season will wrap up Sept. 18-19 with a two-day Super Tournament that will also be held on the Detroit River in Trenton.
Balog bested 139 Boater Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 21 pounds, 10 ounces. He caught his tournament-winning stringer on an ISG tube around deep structure. Balog fishes select events in the Michigan and Buckeye divisions of the BFL, and in his other Michigan Division entry this season he finished sixth. Balog also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he also earned $1,000 from Garmin for using only Garmin electronics during the event.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio (five bass, 18 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,927); Seth Hartwick of Belleville (five bass, 17 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,310); Brian Hensley of Edwardsburg (five bass, 17 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,002); and Kent Hart of Westland (five bass, 17 pounds, 8 ounces, $848).
ary Hannahs of Westerville, Ohio, earned $695 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass he caught on an ISG Dream Tube.
Jay Yoder of Graybill, Ind., won the 139-competitor Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a drop-shot and earned $1,926 for the win.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Scott Clark of Thornville, Ohio (five bass, 13 pounds, 9 ounces, $963); Steve Smith of Commerce, Mich. (four bass, 13 pounds, 6 ounces, $655); Mike Haws of Osceola, Ind. (five bass, 13 pounds, $501); and Eric Wallace of Rocky Ridge, Ohio (four bass, 12 pounds, 8 ounces, $424).
Renee Hensley of Edwardsburg caught a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass to win Co-angler Division big-bass honors and $348.