PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (June 1, 2015) – Mike Feldermann of Galena, Illinois, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 15 pounds even Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division tournament on the Mississippi River. For his victory, Feldermann earned $6,498.
“It feels great,” said Feldermann, a 21-year BFL Great Lakes division veteran with eight career victories. “I know this area of the river really well so when I see my strategy fall into place it is really gratifying.”
Feldermann said he targeted bass in Pool No. 9 using a homemade white and chartreuse-colored spinnerbait.
“I was fishing the flooded reeds and grass in 2 to 3 feet of water the entire day,” Feldermann said. “I caught a quick limit at my first spot before heading north around 9 a.m.”
Feldermann said the biggest difference in his spots was the amount of fish he would catch, as well as their size.
“I caught the 4-pound, 12-ouncer – the biggest bass of the tournament – at about 11:15,” Feldermann said. “Those northern spots didn’t have tons of fish like the southern ones did, but the fish I brought in were large. If you want to win a tournament you’ve got to head up north.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Mike Feldermann, Galena, Ill., five bass, 15-0, $4,498 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Jimmy Johnson, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 13-10, $2,249
3rd: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 12-8, $1,498
4th: Josh Keeney, Greenville, Wis., five bass, 12-4, $1,050
5th: Rick Miller, Eastman, Wis., five bass, 12-3, $900
6th: Chase Clausen, Prairie du Chien, Wis., four bass, 11-12, $787
6th: Kyle Von Ruden, Stoddard, Wis., five bass, 11-12, $787
8th: Brian Fitzpatrick, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 11-11, $675
9th: Harold Therault, Grayslake, Ill., five bass, 11-0, $600
10th: Dustin Drath, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 10-15, $498
10th: Wells Kaiser, Cuba City, Wis., five bass, 10-15, $498
Feldermann also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 12 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $645. Ben Fisher of Waterloo, Iowa, weighed in five bass totaling 12 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to win $2,249 in the co-angler division. The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Ben Fisher, Waterloo, Iowa, five bass, 12-1, $2,249
2nd: Alan Bernicky, Joliet, Ill., five bass, 11-13, $1,125
3rd: Bill McBride, Rockford, Ill., five bass, 10-9, $752
4th: Frank Cipra, Prairie du Chien, Wis., five bass, 10-7, $525
5th: Michael Meier, Dodgeville, Wis., five bass, 10-3, $450
6th: Bill Gabel, Willowbrook, Ill., five bass, 10-1, $393
6th: Chad Schultz, Roscoe, Ill., five bass, 10-1, $393
8th: John Morales, Tinley Park, Ill., four bass, 9-15, $337
9th: Tony Seiler, River Falls, Wis., five bass, 9-8, $300
10th: Greg Tacheny, Harris, Minn., five bass, 9-5, $262
Tony Kromke of La Crosse, Wisconsin, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $322.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.