LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 15, 2013) – Brandon Gann of Sparta, Wis., weighed a three-bass limit totaling 13 pounds, 5 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division tournament on the Mississippi River at La Crosse. For his victory, Gann earned $4,472.
Gann said he caught a smallmouth that weighed more than 5 pounds in practice, and kept rolling with more than a 4-pound average for his first-place limit during the tournament.
“I found two main river points in practice, and I fished them the whole tournament,” said Gann. “I cast my jig onto the upstream side of the point, and the fish would bite when I dragged it off the lip and into the trough.”
The Sparta Wisconsin pro also caught the big bass of the tournament, a 5-3 smallmouth. “When I caught her, I knew I had a good chance to win,” said Gann.
Gann said he used a watermelon/green pumpkin Yank ‘Em jig tipped with a Gene Larew Biffle Bug to catch his fish. “I had the fish I weighed in by 10:30. After that, I just started working my way back down so I’d be close to the weigh-in.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Travis Brueggen, Cashton, Wis., three bass, 12-3, $2,236
3rd: Tom Howland, Riceville, Iowa, three bass, 11-13, $1,492
4th: Jesse Kassera, Sparta, Wis., three bass, 10-6, $968
4th: Darren Zumach, Onalaska, Wis., three bass, 10-6, $968
6th: Dan McGary, Tomah, Wis., three bass, 10-5, $782
6th: Clayton Reitz, Morton, lll., three bass, 10-5, $782
8th: Jesse Wolfe, Nelson, Wis., three bass, 10-1, $671
9th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 10-0, $559
9th: Jimmy Johnson, La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 10-0, $559
Mitchell Booth of Boyceville, Wis., weighed a three-bass limit totaling 10 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win $2,236 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Randy Warner, Elmwood, Ill., three bass, 10-1, $1,118
3rd: Jason Brenic, Sussex, Wis., three bass, 9-12, $745
4th: Ben Rockey, Milwaukee, Wis., three bass, 8-13, $522
5th: Jared Greninger, Rockford, Ill., three bass, 8-3, $447
6th: Nick Zimbauer, Eau Claire, Wis., three bass, 8-2, $410
7th: Ted Joyce, Ixonia, Wis., three bass, 7-15, $316
7th: Matt Knox, Washington, Ill., three bass, 7-15, $316
7th: Dan McAdams, Nekoosa, Wis., three bass, 7-15, $316
7th: Paul Vonwald, La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 7-15, $316
The next BFL Great Lakes Division tournament is scheduled for August 24 on the Mississippi River in Prairie Du Chien, Wis. After the last divisional tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 Regional Championship on Kentucky/Barkley lakes in Gilbertsville, Ky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.