LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (July 11, 2005) - Boater Roger Owens of Monroe, Ohio, earned $6,050 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division bass fishing tournament on the Ohio River. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Buckeye Division events and featured 130 boaters vying for the win, which earned Owens 200 points in the Boater Division.
Owens caught his winning catch of four bass weighing 8 pounds, 14 ounces on crankbaits that he threw around laydowns on the south stretch of the river. He earned $4,050 for the victory plus an additional $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award and another $1,000 as winner of the Garmin Grand award.
Finishing second was Wes Campbell of Brookeville, Ohio, with three bass weighing 7 pounds, 3 ounces that earned him $2,025. Bob Robinson of Springboro, Ohio, claimed $1,325 as the third-place finisher thanks to three bass weighing 6 pounds, 7 ounces. In fourth was Gary Becker of St. Mary's, Ohio, with five bass weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces worth $1,031, and finishing fifth and earning $847 was Steve Floyd of Sabina, Ohio, with five bass weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces.
Gary Ginter of Maplewood, Ohio, took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $650 for a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a Zoom soft-plastic lure.
Fred Fox of Batavia, Ohio, bested 130 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $1,908 as the co-angler winner, thanks to three bass weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces that he caught on a soft-plastic tube.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Shirley Richards of Harrison, Ohio (three bass, 4 pounds, 7 ounces, $954); Willie Dexter of Logan, Ohio (three bass, 4 pounds, 6 ounces, $624); Matthew Phillips of West Alexandria, Ohio (one bass, 4 pounds, $486); and Jeff Oaks of Medway, Ohio (three bass, 3 pounds, 10 ounces, $399).
Phillips earned $300 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with his 4-pounder. He caught his big bass on a spinnerbait.
The Buckeye Division's next event will be held July 30 on the Ohio River near Maysville, Ky., followed by an event on Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio, August 20. The Buckeye Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 10-11 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio.