LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. – Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind., weighed a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 18 pounds, 9 ounces to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Hoosier Division super tournament on the Ohio River at Tanners Creek in Lawrenceburg on Sunday. For his victory, Lowen earned $4,869.
“The last BFL super tournament held here I finished in second place,” said Lowen. “So it feels really good to get the win out on my home waters.
“The conditions on the river are always pretty tough this time of year,” Lowen continued. “Especially this year, because we’ve had a bit of a drought. I figured coming in that I would need at least 8 pounds a day to win, so that’s what I was shooting for. It was pretty tough on day one. There was a lot of rain and wind, and the wind was stalling the current. I fished on the main river targeting laydowns and current breaks, throwing a Tight Lines UV green pumpkin-colored tube. It was pretty slow; I only had seven keeper bites on the day, but it was enough to get me the lead.”
Conditions cleared on Sunday for Lowen, and he decided to start his final day in Tanners Creek.
“Day two was very sunny, and the wind repositioned,” said Lowen. “I started out fishing in Tanners Creek, and I had a solid limit within the first hour, including a 2- and 3-pounder. I stayed in the Creek for two hours, and then I moved back out to the main river. I must have had 18 or 19 keeper bites throughout the day. I stuck with green pumpkin colors, but I threw a jig on day two.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros:
2nd: Ray Brunner, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 15-7, $2,434
3rd: Larry Sisk, Evansville, Ind., 10 bass, 15-6, $1,623
4th: Todd Hensley, New Albany, Ind., 10 bass, 15-4, $1,136
5th: Gary Dees, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 13-1, $974
6th: Chris Wilkinson, Farmersburg, Ind., eight bass, 12-5, $893
7th: Gary Colasessano, Indianapolis, Ind., seven bass, 12-1, $811
8th: Bill Brunner, Cleves, Ohio, eight bass, 11-9, $730
9th: Dick Shaffer, Rockford, Ohio, eight bass, 11-2, $649
10th: Scott Thomas, Mooreland, Ind., eight bass, 9-15, $568
Complete results can be found here.
Krider gets co-angler victory
Jim Krider of North Vernon, Ind., weighed in eight bass totaling 11 pounds, 6 ounces Sunday to win $2,434 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:
2nd: Steve Guthrie, Mooresville, Ind., six bass, 10-12, $1,217
3rd: Harvey Miller, Trafalgar, Ind., six bass, 10-1, $813
4th: Roger Hahn, Fairfield, Ohio, three bass, 8-7, $568
5th: James Rockhill, Muncie, Ind., six bass, 8-4, $487
6th: Trent Norman, Cincinnati, Ohio, five bass, 8-1, $446
7th: Larry Kitchel, Logansport, Ind., five bass, 7-7, $406
8th: Richard Michalski, Westport, Ky., five bass, 7-0, $365
9th: Justin Clift, Indianapolis, Ind., five bass, 6-10, $325
10th: Bradley Mullanix, Anderson, Ind., four bass, 6-5, $284
Complete co-angler results can be found here.
The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 4-6 Regional Championship on Cherokee Lake in Morristown, Tenn. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 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 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
About FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.