APAKONETA, Ohio (May 14, 2007) - Boater Melvin Linton of Monroe, Ohio, won the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division bass fishing tournament on Indian Lake Saturday with a four-bass catch weighing 9 pounds. The victory earned Linton $3,801 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Kentucky Lake Regional Championship in Gilbertsville, Ky., Oct. 18-20, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Linton caught his bass using a spinnerbait near lily pads.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Stephen Miller of Trenton, Ohio (five bass, 8-14, $2,236); Steve Clapper of Lima, Ohio (five bass, 8-11, $1,492); Eddie Hicks of Centerville, Ohio (five bass, 8-9, $1,043) and William Killilea of Chillicothe, Ohio (five bass, 8-8, $894).
Linton also took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $650 for a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass. Jason Geiger of Arcanum, Ohio, earned $2,157 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces. Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Andy Limbert of Wapakoneta, Ohio (five bass, 8-12, $1,079); Troy Spence of Pedro, Ohio (five bass, 8-8, $717); Duane Fry of Bellefontaine, Ohio (five bass, 8-4, $503) and Andrew Greco of Cincinnati, Ohio (five bass, 8-3, $431).
Michael Smith of Pickerington, Ohio, earned $305 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 8-ounce bass.
The Buckeye Division's next event will be June 30 on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Ind., followed by a tournament July 21 on the Ohio River in Maysville, Ky. The division's fourth event will be held Aug. 11 on Sandusky Bay in Sandusky, Ohio, and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 22-23 on Sandusky Bay in Sandusky.