PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Aug. 11, 2008) - Boater Mark Myers of Cedar Falls, Iowa, won the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division bass fishing tournament on the Mississippi River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces. The victory earned Myers $3,053, plus a $538 Ranger Bonus, and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Kentucky and Barkley Lakes Regional Championship in Gilbertsville, Ky., Oct. 2-4, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Myers caught his limit using a black Chatterbait in lily pads.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Dustin Avenarius of Yorkville, Ill. (five bass, 16-03, $1,796); Rob Leidholdt of Janesville, Wis. (five bass, 15-08, $1,201); Mike Brueggen of Cashton, Wis. (five bass, 13-14, $778) and Mike Feldermann of Galena, Ill. (five bass, 13-14, $778).
Myers took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $460 for a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass he caught on a black ChatterBait.
Thomas Darst Jr. of Milwaukee, Wis., earned $1,796 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces that he caught on a frog and Sweet Beaver.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Andy Holst of Wauwatosa, Wis. (five bass, 15-07, $898); Branden Gifford of Rochester, Minn. (five bass, 13-14, $598); Michael Huffman of Ft. Madison, Iowa (five bass, 13-08, $419) and Kevin Anderson of Ettrick, Wis., and Ron Check of Prairie Du Chien, Wis. (five bass, 12-11, $344).
Holst earned $230 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 1-ounce bass he caught on a frog.
A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis., Sept. 13-14.