BENTON, Ill. (May 16, 2005) - Boater Michael Black of Toledo earned $3,698 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Illini Division bass fishing tournament on Rend Lake. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Illini Division events and featured 115 boaters vying for the win, which earned Black 200 points in the Boater Division.
Black's winning catch of five bass weighed 14 pounds, 6 ounces. He was fishing a jig with a green-pumpkin trailer around laydowns and rocks when he caught his bass. Black earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Garmin Grand award and another $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Finishing second was Brent Ausbrook of Olney with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces that earned him $1,849. John Wright of Shelbyville claimed $1,211 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 9 ounces. In fourth was Robert Atchison of Sesser with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 5 ounces worth $941, and finishing fifth and earning $773 was Ivan Maxwell of Tunnel Hill with three bass weighing 12 pounds, 3 ounces.
Tim McMahon of Evergreen Park took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $575 for a 6-pound bass. He caught his big bass on a spinnerbait.
Dennis Carder of Robinson earned $1,807 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 12 pounds, 2 ounces that he caught on a Zoom lizard.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Greg Harkins of Lake Villa (three bass, 11 pounds, 6 ounces, $903); Christopher Cunningham of Green Valley (four bass, 10 pounds, 10 ounces, $590); Jack Morse of Decatur (four bass, 9 pounds, 12 ounces, $460); and Jeff Motter of Springfield (three bass, 9 pounds, 3 ounces, $378).
Roger List of Gridley earned $278 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass he caught on a brush hog.
The Illini Division's next event will be held June 4 on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes near Gilbertsville, Ky., followed by an event on the Ohio River near Paducah, Ky., July 9. The Illini Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 10-11 with a two-day Super Tournament on Shelbyville Lake near Findlay.