OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Sept. 21, 2015) – Dennis Berhorst of Holts Summit, Missouri, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 1 ounce Sunday to win the Bass Fishing League Ozark Division Super Tournament on Lake of the Ozarks with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 39 pounds, 8 ounces. For his victory, Berhorst earned $8,349.
“I caught every fish that I brought to the scale by flipping boat docks on the lower end of the lake near the dam,” said Berhorst, who pushed his career earnings with FLW to more than $316,000. “The fish were active in anywhere from 2 to 10 feet of water.
“On Saturday I caught 11 keepers fairly quick,” continued Berhorst. “I eased up on my spots around 10 a.m., knowing I had to fish there again on Sunday. It took me a little longer to catch my limit on Sunday because the fish had moved and I had to make a few adjustments. I still managed to catch nine keepers.”
Berhorst said he used one bait throughout the entire tournament – a green-pumpkin Chompers Boss Hawg.
“I’ve won a lot of prize money on that bait,” said Berhorst. “The Boss Hawg gets the job done.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Dennis Berhorst, Holts Summit, Mo., 10 bass, 39-8, $6,349 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: David Ryan, Levasy, Mo., 10 bass, 34-0, $3,175
3rd: Joe Brantley, Willard, Mo., 10 bass, 33-12, $2,117
4th: Donovan Hensley , Nixa, Mo., 10 bass, 33-7, $1,481
5th: Charlie Bogard, O’Fallon, Mo., 10 bass, 33-6, $1,270
6th: Lawson Hibdon, Versailles, Mo., 10 bass, 33-3, $1,164
7th: James Dill, Laurie, Mo., 10 bass, 10 bass, 32-10, $1,058
8th: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 30-11, $952
9th: Chris Bunk, Sullivan, Mo., eight bass, 30-9, $847
10th: John Sapper, De Soto, Mo., nine bass, 30-4, $741
Mark Tucker of Kirkwood, Missouri, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division Friday. The fish weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $885. Mitchell Blehm of Walnut Grove, Missouri, won the co-angler division and $3,175 with a two-day total of seven bass weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces. The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Mitchell Blehm, Walnut Grove, Mo., seven bass, 18-15, $3,175
2nd: Jay Myers, Hillsboro, Mo., six bass, 17-8, $1,587
3rd: William Hoffert, Columbia, Mo., eight bass, 17-6, $1,059
4th: Matt Wertheimer, Arnold, Mo., five bass, 16-1, $741
5th: Brock Swafford, Wichita, Kan., six bass, 15-7, $635
6th: B.J. Hicks, Richmond, Mo., five bass, 15-0, $582
7th: Dennis Spell, Bonne Terre, Mo., five bass, 14-6, $529
8th: Ryan Jordan, Saint Charles, Mo., six bass, 13-10, $476
9th: Matt Masters, Branson, Mo., five bass, 12-15, $423
10th: Tyler Branson, Jefferson City, Mo., six bass, 12-15, $370
Hicks caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $442.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings now qualify for the Oct. 15-17 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. 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.