Boater John Wright of Shelbyville, Ill., caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 3 ounces to win the Sept. 17-18 BFL Illini Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Shelbyville to earn $5,893. Jimmy Null of Bethalto, Ill., was the highest-placing co-angler in the Sept. 17-18 BFL Illini Division event, earning $1,947. Wright fished ledges and used a Zoom worm and PB&J jig.
WHO: The remaining top 10 anglers:
2nd: Bobby McMullin, Pevely, Mo., nine bass, 20-14, $1,947
3rd: Roger Ward, Macomb, Ill., eight bass, 19-15, $1,298
4th: Greg Coleman, Butler, Ill., 10 bass, 19-12, $908
5th: Jim Young, Roodhouse, Ill., eight bass, 19-2, $779 + $1,000 Evinrude bonus
6th: Matt Carroll, Hillsboro, Ill., nine bass, 18-11, $714
7th: Anthony Balding Jr., Millstadt, Ill., nine bass, 17-1, $649
8th: Kyle Danhausen, Kankakee, Ill., seven bass, 16-6, $584
9th: Michael Black, Toledo, Ill., six bass, 14-11, $519
10th: Neil Arning, Orland Park, Ill., six bass, 10-7, $454
WHAT: Jimmy Null of Bethalto, Ill., caught a two-day total of seven bass weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces Sept. 17-18 to win $1,947 in the Co-angler Division. Null fished shallow patterns in the middle of the lake and used a crankbait and Zoom Baby Brush Hog to catch his bass.
WHO: The remaining top 10 co-anglers:
2nd: Sheldon Ayers, Anna, Ill., five bass, 9-7, $973
3rd: Bill Knapp, Bolingbrook, Ill., six bass, 9-3, $650
4th: Christopher Cunningham, Green Valley, Ill., four bass, 8-15, $454
5th: Brett Wysock, Wilmington, Ill., four bass, 6-12, $389
6th: Aaron Wehmeyer, Bloomington, Ill., four bass, 6-12, $357
7th: Patrick O’Dell, Windsor, Ill., three bass, 6-5, $324
8th: Dale Renth, Albers, Ill., two bass, 5-3, $292
9th: Roy Bradford, Bushnell, Ill., three bass, 4-13, $260
10th: Lyle Lehman, Blue Mound, Ill., two bass, 3-13, $227
NOTES: The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 20-22 Regional Championship on the Barren River in Scottsville, Ky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger 198VX with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy pick-up, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger 198VX.