PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (July 25, 2005) - Boater Ben Kurtz of Elkhorn earned $3,911 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division bass fishing tournament on the Mississippi River. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Great Lakes Division events and earned Kurtz 200 points in the Boater Division.
Kurtz's winning catch of five bass weighed 16 pounds, 8ounces. Kurtz caught his fish early in the morning around grass while throwing topwater lures.
Finishing second was Rollie Truehl of Deforest with five bass weighing 16 pounds that earned him $1,956. Jeff Herburger of Dubuque, Iowa, claimed $1,280 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 11 ounces. In fourth was Curt Erpenbach of Morris, Ill., with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 2 ounces worth $996, and finishing fifth and earning $818 was Jeff Benson of Holmen with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces.
Herburger took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $615 for a 4-pound, 4-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a jig.
Truehl earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Michael Parve of West Bend earned $1,956 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces that he caught on a jig and pig.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Neil Lemaster of Ft. Madison, Iowa (five bass, 12 pounds, 4 ounces, $978); Andy Lafave of Racine (five bass, 12 pounds, 3 ounces, $640); Anthony Woitach of Milwaukee (five bass, 11 pounds, 15 ounces, $498); and Klaus Kuester of Forest Park, Ill. (five bass, 11 pounds, 11 ounces, $409).
Derek Meier of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, earned $308 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 3-pound, 12-ounce bass he caught on a scum frog.
The Great Lakes Division's next event will be held Aug. 20 on the Mississippi River near Wabasha. The Great Lakes Division will wrap up its regular season Oct. 1-2 with a two-day Super Tournament on the Mississippi River near Prairie Du Chien.