TELL CITY, Ind. (Sept. 21, 2009) - Kaoru O'Bryan of Crestwood, Ky., won the Bass Fishing League final Hoosier Division bass fishing tournament on the Ohio River/Tell City Sunday with a two-day 10-bass catch weighing 20 pounds, 12 ounces. The victory earned O'Bryan $4,400 and helped him qualify 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.
"I had to go to plan B," said O'Bryan. "Fishing the river is tough for everybody, but it provides an opportunity for anybody to win. The river changes every day and it becomes a matter of who can make the right adjustments."
O'Bryan fished one of the creeks connected to the river using buzz bait on a lay down. He was in water 4-8 feet deep with plenty of logs and branches for the fish to suspend.
"The key to my fishing this weekend was that I caught what I needed on Saturday and got out," he added. "I was able to go back to the creek on Sunday to catch what was left and they happened to be bigger!"
Rounding out the top five boaters are Ken Comeaux of Millwood, Ky. (8 bass, 17, $2,200); Scott Bateman of Washington, Ind. (9 bass, 13-14, $1,466); Mark Dove of North Vernon, Ind. (10 bass, 13-14, $1,027) and Ronnie Smith of Walton, Ky. (8 bass, 12-15, $880).
Comeaux also took home the Boater Division Folgers Big Bass award, earning $502 for a 3-pound, 13-ounce bass he caught on black buzz bait.
Drew Lambert of Martinsville, Ind., earned $2,167 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to 7- bass weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces that he caught on buzz bait and tube.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are William Dillon of North Vernon, Ind. (6 bass, 10-12, $1,083); Larry Kitchel of Monticello, Ind. (5 bass, 8-8, $724); Kevin Freese of Danville, Ind. (7 bass, 7-12, $506); and Daniel Day of New Albany, Ind. (4 bass, 7-10, $433).
Kitchel also earned $247 as the co-angler Folgers Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 14-ounce bass.