OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (April 18, 2005) - Boater Gary Niemi of Lake Placid earned $3,996 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Everglades Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Okeechobee. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Everglades Division events and featured 127 boaters vying for the win, which earned Niemi 200 points in the Boater Division.
Niemi's winning catch of five bass weighed 22 pounds, 7 ounces. Niemi was fishing a 7-inch Gambler junebug worm in the North Shore area when he caught his bass. He said he caught 35 keepers and 50 fish over the course of the day.
Finishing second was Jim Hurlock Jr. of Lake Worth with five bass weighing 21 pounds, 7 ounces that earned him $1,998. Travis Brannen of Fort Pierce claimed $1,309 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces. In fourth was Paul Dominguez of Port Saint Lucie with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 1 ounce worth $1,017, and finishing fifth and earning $836 was Daryl Deka of Wellington with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces.
Dave Cramer of Cape Coral took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $635 for a 9-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Mark Fann of Clewiston earned $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Greg Sorrell of Fort Myers earned $1,998 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 16 pounds, 15 ounces that he caught on a flipping pattern.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brandon McMillan of Belle Glade (five bass, 16 pounds, $999); Kenneth Petitti of Palm Bay (five bass, 14 pounds, 2 ounces, $651); Anthony Valachovic of Coral Springs (four bass, 13 pounds, 11 ounces, $509); and Bryan Westrick of Myakka City (five bass, 13 pounds, 8 ounces, $418).
Randy Marrs of Palm Bay earned $318 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 8-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a spinnerbait.
The Everglades Division will wrap up its regular season Oct. 1-2 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Okeechobee near Clewiston.