FINDLAY, Ill. (Aug. 13, 2007) - Boater Scott Kirk of Sesser, Ill., won the Bass Fishing League Illini Division tournament on Lake Shelbyville Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces. The victory earned Kirk $3,329 plus a $587 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. Kirk caught his bass fishing shallow using a green and blue tube to catch his limit.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jason Thomas of Mount Vernon, Ill. (four bass, 12-06, $1,958); Danny Livingston of Advance, Mo. (three bass, 11-00, $1,307); Donnie Dill of Effingham, Ill. (two bass, 10-08, $914) and Troy Rogers of Evansville, Ind. (four bass, 10-06, $783).
Dill took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $520 for a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass.
Sheldon Ayers of Anna, Ill., earned $1,878 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to two bass weighing 10 pounds that he caught while fishing the middle of the lake using a shaky head.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Dale Renth of Albers, Ill. (two bass, 7-11, $939); Matt Micnheimer of Coffeen, Ill. (three bass, 7-06, $627); Dustin Biggs of Westfield, Ill. (two bass, 6-15, $438) and Jacob Zeigler of Herrin, Ill. (three bass, 6-10, $376).
Renth earned $245 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass.
The final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 8-9 on the Ohio River in Golconda, Ill.