PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Aug. 13, 2007) - Boater Tom Welch of Fall River, Wis., won the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division bass fishing tournament on Prairie Du Chien Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 11 ounces. The victory earned Welch $3,793 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.
Welch caught his bass using a buzzbait in and around grass to catch his limit.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Chet Hawkins of La Crosse, Wis. (five bass, 15-03, $2,232); Gary Schild of Mundelein, Ill. (five bass, 15-00, $1,489); Mike Van Houten of Ankeny, Iowa (five bass, 14-15, $1,041); Timothy Domaille of Rochester, Minn. (five bass, 14-05, $855) and Curtis Samo of Rochelle, Ill. (five bass, 14-05, $855).
Jeff Morton of Fox River Grove, Ill., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $640 for a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass.
Steve Knight of Ankeny, Iowa, earned $2,193 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 13 pounds that he caught while fishing a topwater frog near grass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Jason Swanson of Cedar Falls, Iowa (five bass, 12-13, $1,096); Kevin Candahl of West Salem, Wis. (five bass, 12-02, $621); Jason Steger of Stanley, Wis. (five bass, 12-02, $621) and Jereimiah Hatfield of Cashton, Wis. (five bass, 12-01, $439).
Brian Brecka of Alma, Wis., earned $310 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 14-ounce bass. 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.