Lovin wins co-angler title
Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Michigan, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 23 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Michigan Division tournament on the Detroit River presented by Navionics. For his victory, Dobson took home $7,166.
Dobson said he targeted postspawn bass on flats and in current breaks in creek mouths. He said he dissected 15 to 20 areas and caught approximately 20 bass during the event.
“I caught two fish first thing in the morning that really anchored my limit,” said Dobson, who earned the sixth win of his FLW career. “One was just shy of 6 pounds. It ended up being the heaviest fish caught in the tournament. By 8 a.m. I had my entire limit. I made a small upgrade later in the day, but that was about it.
“I was throwing a Chartreuse Shad-colored Lucky Craft Pointer jerkbait,” Dobson continued. “I positioned it on the flat and brought it to the break to imitate the baitfish. It didn’t take long for the bass to ambush it.”
Dobson said he also used a Sexy Shad-colored Keitech Swing Impact swimbait to add a few keepers.
“I just kept chucking and winding, and eventually they ate it,” said Dobson. “The 6-pound bite really sealed the deal for me.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., five bass, 23-10, $5,166 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Kyle Greene, Ortonville, Mich., five bass, 23-1, $2,136
3rd: Steve Clapper, Lima, Ohio, five bass, 21-11, $1,424
4th: David Reault, Livonia, Mich., five bass, 21-5, $997
5th: John Tromley, Richmond, Mich., five bass, 21-3, $854
6th: Chris King, South Amherst, Ohio, five bass, 20-8, $783
7th: Mark Modrak, China Township, Mich., five bass, 19-5, $712
8th: Ryan Hochstetler, Shipshewana, Ind., five bass, 18-6, $641
9th: Mervin Miller, Sugarcreek, Ohio, five bass, 18-4, $569
10th: Nick Neves, Brooklyn, Mich., five bass, 18-3, $473
10th: Hyman Johnson, Ypsilanti, Mich., five bass, 18-3, $473
Dobson’s 5-pound, 15-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $595.
John Lovin of Fayetteville, Ohio, weighed in five bass totaling 21 pounds, 4 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,100.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: John Lovin, Fayetteville, Ohio, five bass, 21-4, $2,100
2nd: Michael Sitko, Pinckney, Mich., five bass, 19-5, $1,050
3rd: Randy Westerfield, Constantine, Mich., five bass, 18-9, $701
4th: David Matual, Chicago, Ill., five bass, 18-8, $782
5th: Justin Sawyer, Dearborn Heights, Mich., five bass, 17-7, $420
6th: Steven Esbin, Holland, Mich., five bass, 16-13, $385
7th: Marvin Anderson, Russell Springs, Ky., five bass, 16-10, $350
8th: George Sterkel Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, five bass, 15-10, $315
9th: Bob Eastman, Fenton, Mich., five bass, 15-9, $280
10th: Bill Langille, Kent, Ohio, five bass, 15-8, $232
10th: Tony Mitchell, Plainwell, Mich., five bass, 15-8, $232
Matual caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 2 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $292.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 13-15 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2016 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 235 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros.
By: Brian Johnson, FLW
