Rossi wins co-angler title
Michael Black of Toledo, Illinois, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the first FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Illini Division tournament of 2016 on Rend Lake. For his victory, Black took home $8,240.
According to tournament reports, Black fished in mid-lake areas and used a Custom Cast Lures jig.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Michael Black, Toledo, Ill., five bass, 19-12, $6,240 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., four bass, 15-1, $2,288
3rd: Travis Gillett, Salem, Ill., five bass, 12-0, $1,525
4th: Toby Corn, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 11-15, $1,068
5th: Neil McCord, West Frankfort, Ill., three bass, 8-15, $915
6th: Darren Frazier, Anna, Ill., three bass, 8-14, $839
7th: Derek Jenkel, Pinckneyville, Ill., five bass, 8-6, $763
8th: Dan Shoraga, West Frankfort, Ill., three bass, 8-5, $686
9th: Larry Caldwell, Saint Peters, Mo., three bass, 7-8, $610
10th: Paul Leonard, Chatham, Ill., two bass, 7-2, $534
Black also caught a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $665.
Mario Rossi of Granite City, Illinois, weighed in three bass totaling 7 pounds, 2 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,140.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Mario Rossi, Granite City, Ill., three bass, 7-2, $2,140
2nd: Mike Houle, Orland Park, Ill., two bass, 6-6, $1,070
3rd: Chris Gable, Eddyville, Ky., one bass, 5-10, $1,014
4th: Dave Dobill, Royalton, Ill., two bass, 5-5, $499
5th: Anthony Macon, Greenville, Ill., two bass, 4-7, $428
6th: Jarred Metje, Woodlawn, Ill., one bass, 3-15, $392
7th: Bill Higgins, Albers, Ill., two bass, 3-13, $357
8th: Ryan Fancher, Olney, Ill., one bass, 3-9, $321
9th: Tony Kirkpatrick, Woodlawn, Ill., one bass, 3-5, $285
10th: Danny Toohey, Greenville, Ill., one bass, 3-1, $250
Gable caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $302.
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
