TRENTON, Mich. (Sept. 20, 2004) - Boater John Zubkoff of Holland, Ohio, earned $6,370 Sunday as winner of the two-day, season-ending Bass Fishing League Michigan Division Super Bass Tournament on the Detroit River. His two-day total of 38 pounds, 1 ounce topped 104 fellow competitors in the Boater Division.
Zubkoff caught 19 pounds, 14 ounces Saturday to advance to Sunday's competition, where he caught 18 pounds, 3 ounces to post the heaviest two-day weight and claim the win. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a goby drop-shot. Zubkoff also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he earned an additional $500 from Yamaha because his boat is powered by a Yamaha outboard. He also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Garmin for using Garmin electronics exclusively during the event.
Rounding out the top five boaters are David Hayward of Sylvania, Ohio (37 pounds, 13 ounces, $3,185); Scott Webster of Manchester (37 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,725); Butch Dobransky of Canton, Ohio (36 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,460); and Kevin Rathke of Albion, Ind. (35 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,194).
John Hempel of Brownstown earned $1,040 as the Boater Division big-bass winner, thanks to a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass he caught on a green tube in 25 feet of water.
Peter Defrancisco of Galena, Ohio, earned $3,185 as winner of the Co-angler Division with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 6 ounces. He caught his bass on a tube on Lake Erie in 20 feet of water. This is his first career win.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Todd Robbins of Romulus (30 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,593); Ed Keplinger of Logansport, Ind. (29 pounds, 5 ounces, $863); Richard Erskine of Lincoln Park (28 pounds, 13 ounces, $730); and Kevin Rybicki of Mishawaka, Ind. (27 pounds, 2 ounces, $597).
Chris Komosinski of Grand Haven claimed co-angler big-bass honors with a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a green pumpkin tube. He earned $520 for his big bass.
Each of the BFL's 24 nationwide divisions features four one-day tournaments and one two-day Super Tournament within the regular season. In Super Tournament competition, the entire field competes on day one and the top 20 percent advances to day two, with the winners determined by the heaviest two-day catch weights. More money is awarded at Super Tournaments as well as more points that count toward year-end angler standings. In a Super Tournament, 300 points are awarded for first place, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on.
Brian Hensley of Edwardsburg earned $1,000 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" boater points champion in the Michigan Division with 1,010 points for the season. Mike Haws of Osceola, Ind., earned Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion honors and $500 in the Co-angler Division. He earned 987 points this season.