CHEBOYGAN, Mich., State (June 9, 2008) - Boater Chad Pipkens of Holt, Mich., won the Bass Fishing League Michigan Division bass fishing tournament on Burt Mullett Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 27 pounds, 5 ounces. The victory earned Pipkens $3,697 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Cherokee Lake Regional Championship in Morristown, Tenn., Oct. 16-18, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"I caught the 6-04 on a Berkley Gulp! 4-inch Minnow and had a 6-02 on a tube," Pipkens said. "I was drop-shotting the minnow and throwing the tube with a 3/8-ounce Poor Boy's jighead."
Rounding out the top five boaters are Trevor Jancasz of White Pigeon, Mich. (five bass, 26-07, $2,175); Eric Bond of Ferndale, Mich. (five bass, 24-12, $1,451); Erhardt Tulgestka of Rogers City, Mich. (five bass, 24-09, $1,015) and Matt Belletini of Attica, Mich. (five bass, 23-13, $870). Pipkens took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $615 for a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass he caught on Berkley Gulp! 4-inch Minnow. Matt Gray of Brighton, Mich., earned $2,175 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 20 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught on a Berkley Gulp! bait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Eric Penn of East Tawas, Mich. (five bass, 19-10, $1,088); Cody Harris of Grand Blanc, Mich. (five bass, 18-14, $616); Michael Penn of East Tawas, Mich. (five bass, 18-14, $616) and Bill Schroeder of Jonesville, Mich. (five bass, 18-09, $435). Chris Dettling of Adrian, Mich., earned $307 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 7-pound bass he caught on Berkley Gulp! bait.
Michigan Division anglers will visit Sandusky Bay in Sandusky, Ohio, July 19 for their second regular-season event, followed by an event on the St. Clair River in Harrison Township, Mich., Aug. 9. The division's fourth qualifying event will be held on the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich., Aug. 30. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on the Detroit River in Trenton, Mich., Sept. 27-28.