FORT MADISON, Iowa (Oct. 8, 2007) - Boater Dirk Sluyter of Russellville, Mo., earned a fully rigged Ranger 198VX and a new Chevy truck Saturday as the winner of the Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Mississippi River in Fort Madison, Iowa. The top 40 boaters and the top 40 co-anglers from the Great Lakes, Illini, Michigan and Ozark divisions competed in the three-day event.
Sluyter's winning three-day catch of 15 bass weighed 50 pounds, 5 ounces. In addition to the new truck and boat, Sluyter earned a ticket to the 2008 $1 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American on the Connecticut River in Hartford, Conn., May 29-31.
"I am so excited to be qualified for the All-American," Sluyter said. "This was a great tournament. I worked really hard and stayed focused."
Sluyter caught his winning bass by throwing a frog and a June-bug Senko near lily pads.
"I only brought one frog with me to the tournament," Sluyter said. "After the first day, I had to run to Wal-Mart to get more, and I could only find white frogs. That night I took a black magic marker and colored the frogs black. By the next day the frogs had turned purple. This ended up being my number one bait and helped me win the tournament."
The top six boaters and the top six co-anglers at the regional championship earned a spot to compete in the All-American. Rounding out the top six boaters were Mike Brueggen of Cashton, Wis. (13 bass, 44-12, $4,000); Rick Miller of Bettendorf, Iowa (15 bass, 41-09, $2,000); Jerad Perkins of Carterville, Ill. (15 bass, 39-14, $1,600); Richie Evans of Nauvoo, Ill. (14 bass, 39-08, $1,200); and Jeff Ritter of Prairie Du Chien, Wis. (15 bass, 38-05, $1,000).
Jereimiah Hatfield of Cashton, Wis. earned a new Ranger boat as the co-angler winner, thanks to a three-day total of 11 bass weighing 30 pounds, 14 ounces.
Rounding out the top six co-anglers were Michael Huffman of Fort Madison, Iowa (12 bass, 30-01, $2,000); Bradley Smith of Troy, Ill. (14 bass, 30-01, $1,000); Kevin Anderson of Ettrick, Wis. (12 bass, 24-10, $800); Brett Wysock of Wilmington, Ill. (nine bass, 21-15, $600); and Terry Bassemier of Carmi, Ill. (10 bass, 21-08, $500).