BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (June 20, 2005) - Boater Robert Gilliland of Bloomington earned $4,368 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Hoosier Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Monroe. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Hoosier Division events and featured 143 boaters vying for the win, which earned Gilliland 200 points in the Boater Division.
Gilliland's winning catch of five bass weighed 16 pounds, 5 ounces. He fished main-lake structure with a black and blue jig to catch his bass.
Gilliland earned an additional $2,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup and Garmin Grand awards.
Finishing second was Leroy McGregor of Vincennes with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces that earned him $2,184. Bill Bauer of Carmel claimed $1,427 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces. In fourth was John Melton of Corydon with five bass weighing 9 pounds, 6 ounces worth $1,112, and finishing fifth and earning $913 was Tom Rea of Marion with four bass weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces.
Craig Mills of Hamilton, Ohio took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $715 for a 7-pound, 7-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a green-pumpkin centipede.
Doug Hunt of Danville earned $2,082 as the co-angler winner, thanks to one bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught on a Zoom brush hog. Hunt also earned an additional $338 as winner of the co-angler big-bass award.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Matt McCoy of Indianapolis (one bass, 6 pounds, $1,041); Mike Chaudion of Cicero (three bass, 5 pounds, $680); David Brown of Bloomington (one bass, 4 pounds, 13 ounces, $530); and Mark Dehart of Brownstown (two bass, 4 pounds, 9 ounces, $435).
The Hoosier Division's next event will be held July 23 on the Ohio River near Cannelton. The Hoosier Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 17-18 with a two-day Super Tournament on the Ohio River near Lawrenceburg.