SANDUSKY, Ohio (Aug. 9, 2004) - Boater Division competitor Bryan Coates of Amherst earned $3,330 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Erie in Sandusky. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Buckeye Division events. The regular season will wrap up Sept. 11-12 with a two-day Super Tournament that will also be held on Lake Erie in Sandusky.
Coates bested 114 Boater Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 22 pounds. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a watermelon and green pumpkin tube. Coates also earned a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he earned another $500 from Yamaha because his boat is powered by a Yamaha outboard. Garmin also awarded him $1,000 for using only Garmin electronics during the event.
Rounding out the top five boaters are James Vitaro of Wooster (five bass, 21 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,665); Joe Balog of Harrison Township, Mich. (five bass, 20 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,132); Christopher King of South Amherst (five bass, 19 pounds, 1 ounce, $866); and Kevin Spears of New Boston (five bass, 17 pounds, 1 ounce, $732).
Gary Becker of St. Marys earned $570 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Rob Sierschula of Huber Heights won the 110-competitor Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces. He caught his tournament-winning bass on tube jigs and earned $1,639 for the win.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Billy Crider Jr. of Kettering (four bass, 16 pounds, 2 ounces, $820); Tad Bosley of Glenmont (five bass, 15 pounds, 9 ounces, $557); Gary Hoffman of Circleville (five bass, 15 pounds, 4 ounces, $426); and Steve Sorrell of Dayton (four bass, 14 pounds, 8 ounces, $361).
Eddie Frye of Gallipolis caught a 5-pound bass to win Co-angler Division big-bass honors and $275. He caught his big bass on a watermelon goby drop-shot.