BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (June 8, 2009) - Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio, won the Bass Fishing League Hoosier Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Monroe Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces. The victory earned Shaffer $3,641 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Kentucky/Barkley Lake Regional Championship in Gilbertsville, Ky., Oct. 15-17, where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Shaffer said he used a homemade black-and-blue jig to target deep water 2 to 4 feet from bushes.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Randall Osborne of Mount Sterling, Ky. (five bass, 11-9, $1,820); Eric Snow of Clarksville, Ind. (five bass, 11-5, $1,214); Leroy McGregor of Vincennes, Ind. (three bass, 10-15, $850) and John Sherrill of Franklin, Ind. (four bass, 10-7, $728).
McGregor took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $475 for a 6-pound bass he caught.
Erich Hartman of Lebanon, Ind., earned $1,820 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 6 ounces that he caught flipping brush.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are John Thomas of New Palestine, Ind. (three bass, 8-15, $910); Jim Anderson of Troy, Ind. (3 bass, 7-7, $607); William Spivey of Middletown, Ohio (two bass, 7-5, $425); and Jeff Church of Fort Branch, Ind. (two bass, 6-13, $364).
Jim Krider of North Vernon, Ind., earned $237as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass.
The next Hoosier Division event will be held on Tanners Creek in Lawrenceburg, Ind., June 27.