KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (Sept. 16, 2003) - Buster Loving of Rockaway Beach caught 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 3 ounces to win $6,248 at the Bass Fishing League Ozark Division Super Bass Fishing Tournament, on Table Rock Lake near Kimberling City. Loving bested 102 Boater Division competitors and earned 300 points at the tournament, which was the fifth and final Ozark Division event of the regular season.
Loving caught five bass Saturday weighing 18 pounds to finish first on day one and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces to earn the win.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Wes Endicott of Joplin (10 bass, 27 pounds, 7 ounces); Rick Holmden of Shellknob (nine bass, 27 pounds, 1 ounce); Larry Steeby of Parsons, Kan. (eight bass, 26 pounds, 9 ounces); and Joe Gundel of Seligman (10 bass, 25 pounds, 15 ounces).
Gundel also claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Donnie Snelling of Montreal claimed $1,020 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 5-pound bass.
Jason Rhea of Springfield led 102 Co-angler Division competitors on day two to claim $3,124 as the Super Tournament co-angler winner. He caught four bass Saturday weighing 9 pounds, 3 ounces to finish fifth and followed that up Sunday with another five bass weighing 13 pounds to earn the win.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Scott Miles of Bolivar (seven bass, 18 pounds, 3 ounces); Mike Mueller of O'Fallon (seven bass, 16 pounds, 4 ounces); Gene Purdy of Bentonville, Ark. (seven bass, 15 pounds, 14 ounces); and James Marion of Tulsa, Okla. (seven bass, 13 pounds, 15 ounces).
Jeff Lanzendorf of Fenton took co-angler big-bass honors and $510 with a 4-pound, 7-ounce bass.
Brady Meredith of Springdale, Ark., is the Ozark Division's Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader, winning $1,000 for the 968 points he earned during five regular-season tournaments. Tyler Mills of Norwood is the Yamaha "Be the Best" points leader in the Co-angler Division. He earned $500 for his division-leading 1,004 points.