LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (May 2, 2005) - Boater Phil Hunt of Connersville earned $4,766 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Hoosier Division bass fishing tournament on the Ohio River. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Hoosier Division events and featured 162 boaters vying for the win, which earned Hunt 200 points in the Boater Division.
Hunt's winning catch of five bass weighed 10 pounds, 12 ounces. He was fishing sticks in 3-4 feet of water when he caught his bass. Hunt earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Garmin Grand award.
Finishing second was Kaoru O'Bryan of Crestwood, Ky., with five bass weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces that earned him $2,383. Sean Wieda of Cincinnati, Ohio claimed $1,558 as the third-place finisher thanks to four bass weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce. In fourth was Tim Puckett of Cross Plains with five bass weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces worth $1,213, and finishing fifth and earning $996 was Bill McDonald of Indianapolis with four bass weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
O'Bryan earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Jason Taylor of Walton, Ky., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $810 for a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a jig.
Bob Ungren of Jeffersonville earned $2,144 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 7 pounds that he caught on a tube.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Steve Jones of Indianapolis (three bass, four pounds, 10 ounces, $1,072); Darrell Jackson of Indianapolis (two bass, 4 pounds, 6 ounces, $700); Doug Ruster of New Palestine (three bass, 3 pounds, 9 ounces, $546); and Mike Chaudion of Cicero (one bass, 3 pounds, 7 ounces, $448).
Chaudion earned $348 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with his 3-pound, 7-ounce bass that he caught on a white tube.
The Hoosier Division's next event will be held May 14 on Patoka Lake near Jasper, followed by an event on Monroe Lake near Bloomington June 18. The fourth-qualifying event will be held on the Ohio River near Cannelton July 23. The Hoosier Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 17-18 with a two-day Super Tournament on the Ohio River near Cannelton.