FORT MADISON, Iowa (Aug. 12, 2006) - Pro David Junk of Quincy, Ill., caught a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces to win the Stren Series Midwest Division bass fishing tournament on the Mississippi River with a two-day total weight of 26 pounds and 4 ounces. Junk took home $8,600 plus a fully rigged 519VX Ranger Comanche bass boat.
Junk opened the tournament Wednesday with four bass weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces. On Thursday he added five bass weighing 10 pounds, 11 ounces to his catch to make the top-20 cut in 17th place with a two-day total of nine bass weighing, 20 pounds, 2 ounces. He then caught five bass weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounces Friday to make the top-10 cut in 6th place. On Saturday he caught another five bass limit to secure his first ever Stren Series win.
The conditions today were ideal for fishing. Clear skies, warm temperatures and clam winds lead to an excellent final round with some extravagant catches on both the pro and co-angler side.
"It was awesome and I can't wait to do it again," said Junk. "I never thought I had it won. I set my goal for at least fifteen pounds everyday. I knew I had a strong enough pattern to hold fish through the entirety of the event but I just had to go fishing and catch them, that was my biggest worry."
Junk caught his fish by "junk" fishing, pun intended. "I figured that would be a fitting style of fishing since it is my last name and all," said Junk. He fished deep, shallow and everywhere in-between, throwing nearly everything in his tackle bag to catch his bass.
Rounding out the top five pros are Bill Walker of Mulkeytown, Ill. (10 bass, 25 pounds, 14 ounces); Mark Rose of Marion, Ark. (10 bass bass, 24 pounds, 12 ounces); Chad Morgenthaler of Coulterville, Ill. (nine bass, 23 pounds, 6 ounces); and William Davis of Russellville, Ala. (nine bass, 22 pounds, 14 ounces).
Kirk McKnight of Milan, Ill., won the Co-angler Division earning him his first Stren Series victory and $4,475 plus a fully rigged 519VX Ranger bass boat. Saturday, he caught four bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces while fishing with pro Chad Morgenthaler of Coulterville, Ill., who finished in fourth place. McKnight's two-day total was seven bass weighing 20 pounds and 11 ounces.
"It was great, I get a new boat! I came into this event only looking for enough points to make it to the championship," said McKnight. "It was a lot of hard work and very nerve racking especially when I blanked on day two. I was pretty excited last night because I knew I had a good partner who was capable of putting us on some good fish. Wining this event was way more than what I was hoping for."
McKnight was throwing a topwater frog and Senkos over grass and pads to catch his solid bags bass each day of this event. McKnight topped the rest of the co-angler field by a whopping 4 pounds and 7 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Andy Bylander of Amery, Wis. (seven bass, 16 pounds, 4 ounces); Bud Strader of Rockwood, Tenn. (six bass, 14 pounds, 3 ounces); Marty Barski of Crystal Lake, Ill. (five bass, 13 pounds, 10 ounces); and Kevin Whitaker of West Chicago, Ill. (six bass, 12 pounds, 15 ounces).