MAYSVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 17, 2015) – Scott Manson of Covington, Ohio, weighed four bass totaling 8 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division tournament on the Ohio River. For his victory, Manson earned $5,205.
“I started out targeting main-river fish but decided to head into the creeks,” said Manson who has four top-10 finishes in FLW competition. “I had four spots carved out but could only find shad in one creek. I had to be around the shad to get a bite.
“I caught my first bass around 10 a.m. – the biggest fish in the tournament,” continued Manson. “All four of my winning fish ended up coming from a 50- to 100-yard stretch. I just ran back and forth hitting submerged stumps and logs.”
Manson said all of his fish were congregating in about a foot of water.
“I caught three of them on a Junebug-colored Zoom Brush Hog and one on a white spinnerbait,” said Manson. “They were the only keepers I caught all day. Luckily they were heavy enough to win the tournament.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Scott Manson, Covington, Ohio, four bass, 8-10, $3,205 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Kyle Weisenburger, Ottawa, Ohio, five bass, 7-7, $1,603
3rd: Charlie Smith, Union, Ky., five bass, 7-0, $1,068
4th: Rob Cunningham, Cincinnati, Ohio, three bass, 6-5, $748
5th: Cody Seeger, Lewistown, Ohio, five bass, 6-2, $641
6th: Clint Bissonett, Beavercreek, Ohio, five bass, 5-5, $561
6th: John McCart, Williamsburg, Ohio, four bass, 5-5, $561
8th: Kenny Mitchell, Franklin, Ohio, two bass, 5-4, $481
9th: Jim Vitaro, Wooster, Ohio, two bass, 5-1, $427
10th: Jim Lovelace, Liberty Township, Ohio, two bass, 4-5, $374
Manson also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 14 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $385. Don Clark of Cincinnati, Ohio brought three bass to the scale, while Bill Turvey of Oak Hill, Ohio, weighed in four bass, both totaling 5 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to tie for the win and each earn $1,202 in the co-angler division. The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Don Clark, Cincinnati, Ohio, three bass, 5-1, $1,202
1st: Bill Turvey, Oak Hill, Ohio, four bass, 5-1, $1,202
3rd: Darrell Carroll, Independence, Ky., three bass, 4-5, $533
4th: Brian Short, Oxford, Ohio, one bass, 4-4, $374
5th: Ryan Sykes, Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 3-8, $321
6th: Michael Schwomeyer, Noblesville, Ind., two bass, 2-9, $294
7th: Dennis Sepeck, Bethel, Ohio, two bass, 2-4, $267
8th: B.J. Barnes, Piqua, Ohio, one bass, 2-3, $213
8th: Doyle Donnett, Minster, Ohio, two bass, 2-3, $213
8th: Tyler Waller, Coal Grove, Ohio, two bass, 2-3, $213
Short caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $192.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. 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.