WABASHA, Minn. (July 23, 2007) - Boater Jim Mckie of Alma, Wis., won the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division bass fishing tournament on the Mississippi River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 4 ounces. The victory earned Mckie $3,727 plus a $657 Ranger contingency bonus and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Mississippi River Regional Championship in Fort Madison, Iowa on Oct. 4-6, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck. Mckie used an array of topwater baits in and around shallow cover.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jeff Ritter of Prairie Du Chien, Wis. (five bass, 16-10, $2,193); Tony Devolder of Coral Valley, Ill. (five bass, 15-3, $1,463); Jeff Herburger of Dubuque, Iowa (five bass, 14-10, $1,023) and Rick Miller of Bettendorf, Iowa (five bass, 14-7, $877).
Mckie took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $620for a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Mike Bonewitz of Keystone, Iowa earned $2,193 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Michael Syjud of Shorewood, Ill. (five bass, 14-6, $1,096); Ronald Syverson of La Crosse, Wis. (five bass, 13-9, $730); Jereimiah Hatfield of Cashton, Wis. (five bass, 13-6, $512) and Ron Check of Prairie Du Chien, Wis. (five bass, 12-15, $439).
Jamie Gomez of Onalaska, Wis., earned $310 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass.
The division's fourth event will be held Aug. 11 on Prairie Du Chien in Prairie Du Chien, Wis., and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 8-9 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis.