MAYSVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 1, 2005) - Boater James Hailstone of Fairfield, Ohio, earned $3,230 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division bass fishing tournament on the Ohio River near Maysville. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Buckeye Division events and earned Hailstone 200 points in the Boater Division.
Hailstone's winning catch of four bass weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces. Hailstone threw a watermelon tube and a jig around wood cover to catch his bass. Hailstone also earned big-bass award honors in the boater division for a 2-pound, 14-ounce bass, worth $475.
Finishing second was Kevin Spears of New Boston, Ohio, with four bass weighing 6 pounds that earned him $1,615. Dan Moran of London, Ohio, claimed $1,058 as the third-place finisher thanks to three bass weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces. In fourth was David Spivey of Hamilton, Ohio, with four bass weighing 5 pounds, 1 ounce worth $882, and finishing fifth and earning $675 was Michael Moore of Uhrichsville, Ohio, with three bass weighing 4 pounds, 12 ounces.
Moran earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Don Wiggins of Cincinnati, Ohio, earned $1,615 as the co-angler winner, thanks to one bass weighing 4 pounds, 6 ounces that he caught on a brown and gold with purple-flake tube. Wiggins' bass also earned the co-angler big bass award, worth another $238.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Roy Lester of Hamilton, Ohio (two bass, 3 pounds, 9 ounces, $808); Brandon Good of Fort Jennings, Ohio, and Jack Landsaw Jr. of Mayslick tied for third place. Each co-angler caught two bass weighing 3 pounds, 8 ounces worth $469, and finishing in fifth place was Gary Vanover of Cincinnati, Ohio (one bass, 3 pounds, 5 ounces, $338).
The Buckeye Division's next event will be held Aug. 20 on Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio. The division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 10-11 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Erie near Sandusky.