MAYSVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 5, 2013) – Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 11 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division tournament on the Ohio River at Maysville. For his victory, Martinkovic earned $5,205.
“I made a 50-mile run,” said Martinkovic, “When I got up to go in the morning, I figured I was either going to come in with nothing or win it.
“I caught a 4-pound, 2-ounce smallmouth first and my second fish was a 3-pound, 8-ounce smallmouth. So, I had over seven pounds with my first two fish. I knew that all I needed to do after that was fill out my limit. I left my area at 11 a.m. and fished around the ramp so I could make sure that I wasn’t late.”
Martinkovic said that he was fishing current breaks with a Blueback Herring-colored War Eagle spinnerbait.
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Michael Smith, Pickerington, Ohio, five bass, 10-10 $1,603
3rd: Ronnie Smith, Walton, Ky., five bass, 9-1, $1,068 + $300 Evinrude Bonus
4th: Ron Hiles, Piketon, Ohio, five bass, 8-14, $748
5th: Michael Powell Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, five bass, 8-10, $614
5th: Keith Wheelock, Beaver Creek, Ohio, five bass, 8-10, $614
7th: Chris Combess, Cleves, Ohio, five bass, 8-9, $534
8th: Dan Roberts, Cincinnati, Ohio, five bass, 7-3, $481
9th: Brian Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 7-1, $427
10th: Ken Garbe, Loveland, Ohio, five bass, 6-15, $374
Jason Cole of Cambridge, Ohio, weighed four bass totaling 7 pounds, 9 ounces Saturday to win $1,561 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Brandon Knapmeyer, Florence, Ky., five bass, 7-0, $781
3rd: Mark Miller, Baltic, Ohio, five bass, 6-13, $521
4th: James Wilcox, Cincinnati, Ohio, five bass, 5-15, $364
5th: Melvin McNeal, Circleville, Ohio, five bass, 5-12, $312
6th: Eddie Dean, Ashton, W. Va., five bass, 5-7, $286
7th: Daniel Shuga, Botkins, Ohio, five bass, 4-15, $260
8th: Billy French, Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 4-12, $234
9th: Chad Rader, McComb, Ohio, one bass, 4-8, $208
10th: Dylan Skaggs, Columbus, Ohio, three bass, 4-6, $182
The next BFL Buckeye Division tournament is scheduled for August 24 on the Ohio River at Tanner’s Creek in Lawrenceburg, Ind. After the last divisional tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 Regional Championship on the Chesapeake Bay in North East, Md. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.