Ky. (Aug. 25, 2008) - Boater Bill Lowen of North Bend, Ohio, won the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division bass fihsing tournament on the Ohio River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned Lowen $3,305 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.
"I caught most of my fish extremely shallow fishing on the main river," said Lowen, who has won over $31,000 in career earnings in FLW Outdoors events. "I caught three on a spinnerbait, one on a jig and one on a crankbait."
Lowen said he didn't get his first bite until 8:45 a.m. and had a limit by 10 in the morning, boating a total of six keepers.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Robert Otto of Dayton, Ohio (five bass, 9-01, $1,944); Roy Gentry of Cincinnati, Ohio (four bass, 8-01, $1,297); Steve Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio (four bass, 7-10, $842) and Michael Safreed of Beavercreek, Ohio (five bass, 7-10, $842).
Otto took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $525 for a 3-pound, 7-ounce bass he caught on crankbait.
Al Hopkins of Indianapolis, Ind., earned $1,902 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces that he caught on a 6-inch Power Worm.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brandon Good of Fort Jennings, Ohio (five bass, 7-02, $951); Thomas Gilardi of Cincinnati, Ohio (five bass, 5-05, $634); Rickey Robertson Jr. of Hamilton, Ohio (four bass, 4-14, $444) and Dave Nentwick of Richmond, Ky. (four bass, 4-12, $380).
Brad Craft of New Bremen, Ohio, earned $252 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 13-ounce bass he caught on a worm.
A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on the Ohio River/Tanner's Creek in Lawrenceburg, Ind., Sept. 20-21. Following the end of regular-season competition, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on year-end points standings in the division will advance to the no-entry-fee Kentucky and Barkley Lakes Regional Championship where they will compete against top qualifiers from three other BFL divisions. At the Regional Championship boaters will fish for a new Ranger boat and Chevy truck and co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger boat. The top six boaters and top six co-anglers at the Regional Championship will also advance to the All-American.