SANDUSKY, Ohio (Sept. 16, 2003) - Butch Dobransky of Canton caught 10 bass weighing 41 pounds, 6 ounces to win $6,310 at the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division Super Bass Fishing Tournament, on Lake Erie near Sandusky. Dobransky bested 105 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Buckeye Division event of the regular season.
Dobransky caught five bass Saturday weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces to finish fourth on day one and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 20 pounds, 15 ounces to earn the win. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Dobransky also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats, $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder and he earned another $1,000 from Bombardier for using an Evinrude Direct Injection outboard.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Cecil Cole of Durand, Mich. (10 bass, 39 pounds, 12 ounces); Steve Clapper of Lima (10 bass, 39 pounds, 2 ounces); Rob Webber of Elyria (10 bass, 37 pounds, 8 ounces); and Bryan Coates of Amherst (10 bass, 36 pounds, 14 ounces).
David Hayward of Sylvania claimed $1,050 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass.
Matthew Phillips of Farmersville led 105 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $3,093 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught four bass Saturday weighing 15 pounds, 10 ounces to finish fifth and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 20 pounds, 5 ounces to earn the win.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Roy Lester of Hamilton (10 bass, 34 pounds, 10 ounces); Troy Spence of Pedro (eight bass, 31 pounds, 9 ounces); Steven Todd of Streetsboro (10 bass, 31 pounds, 6 ounces); and Dick Parker of Amherst (10 bass, 26 pounds, 5 ounces).
Terry Park of Cleveland took co-angler big-bass honors and $505 with a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Dobransky is the Buckeye Division's Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader, winning $1,000 for the 1,066 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Rob Sierschula of Huber Heights is the Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 1,019 points.