Manson Nets Third Win
Whitsett wins co-angler title
Scott Manson of Covington, Ohio, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces, to take top honors at the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Buckeye Division opener on Grand Lake-St. Mary’s presented by Navionics. For his efforts, Manson netted $4,046.
“I was fishing rocks, boat docks and a little bit of weeds on the south side of the lake, mid-way down the lake,” says Manson, who notched his third win in BFL competition – second on Grand Lake-St. Marys. “I was in a couple of creeks. I had multiple areas, but most of the fish came out of those creeks.”
Manson caught six keepers – five of them on a black and blue-colored D&L jig with a Zoom Super Chunk Jr. trailer. The other, which he weighed, came on a Texas-rigged, green-pumpkin Netbait Paca Craw.
“I’d switch back and forth between the two. Working it slowly was the key– just taking my time and hitting everything I could,” says Manson. “It was cold and windy so I knew it would be tough.”
Manson's equipment included a 7-foot, 6-inch medium-heavy Elite Series Black and Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Signature Series Casting rods and Abu Garcia Revo Rocket and Bass Pro Shops Pro qualifier reels.
“I’ve got to mention my Nitro Z21 boat and Mercury outboard motor as well – it’s a very efficient motor, and the Nitro is a great boat to fish out of,” says Manson. “I also need to thank Freedom Outdoors here in Ohio, they get me everything I need to get out there and compete.”
The top 10 boaters:
1st: Scott Manson, Covington, Ohio, five bass, 13-4, $4,046
2nd: Michael Manor, Sidney, Ohio, five bass, 13-3, $2,223
3rd: Curt Fiessinger, Minster, Ohio, five bass, 11-9, $1,348
4th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 11-5, $876
4th: B.J. Baxter, Willshire, Ohio, five bass, 11-5, $1,126
6th: Kevin Spears, New Boston, Ohio, four bass, 11-4, $742
7th: Gary Ginter, Lakeview, Ohio, five bass, 10-14, $774
8th: Brian Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 10-13, $607
9th: Wes Campbell, Centerville, Ohio, five bass, 10-9, $689
10th: Dan Fry, Marysville, Ohio, four bass, 10-7, $472
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
David Hoheisel of Westerville, Ohio, caught a 4-pound, 4-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $555.
Whitsett wins co-angler title
Jeff Whitsett of De Graff, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division and $2,300 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 10 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers:
1st: Jeff Whitsett, De Graff, Ohio, three bass, 10-4, $2,300
2nd: Mike Geisler, Oxford, Ohio, four bass, 8-5, $1,211
3rd: Brad Edwards, Huber Heights, Ohio, four bass, 7-5, $674
4th: Samuel Jones, Morgantown, W. Va., three bass, 7-1, $472
5th: Daniel Shuga, Botkins, Ohio, three bass, 6-14, $455
6th: Melvin McNeal, Circleville, Ohio, four bass, 5-10, $371
7th: John Long, New Bremen, Ohio, three bass, 5-2, $337
8th: Kenny Smith, Austin, Ind., three bass, 4-15, $303
9th: Kenny Mitchell, Franklin, Ohio, two bass, 4-13, $270
10th: Marcus Dudley, Twinsburg, Ohio, three bass, 4-10, $236
Whitsett also caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 3 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $277.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard