LA CROSSE, Wis. – Tom Monsoor, 51, of La Crosse out-fished 94 competitors this weekend to earn $7,172 and 100 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Great Lakes Division season finale – a two-day Super Tournament on the Mississippi River.
Monsoor caught five bass weighing 16 pounds, 1 ounce on opening day to qualify for the second and final day of competition. On day two, he caught five bass weighing 15-6 to top Jeff Herburger of Hazel Green, Wis., who finished with a day-two catch of 13-10 worth $3,586. Monsoor caught his bass out of pools seven and eight using black and blue jigs and crankbaits.
Mike Felderman of Galena, Ill., took third place and collected $1,793 with a day-two catch weighing 13-8. Bart Martell of La Crosse, Wis., placed fourth and earned $1,554 with a day-two catch weighing 12-8, while Rick Miller of Blue Grass, Iowa, placed fifth and earned $1,434 with a day-two catch weighing 12-0.
Kevin Thomas of Waterloo, Iowa, won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $940 with a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass that he caught on chartreuse and blue crankbait while fishing stumps south of La Crosse.
Monsoor was declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000 after amassing 271 points through five regular season events.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $3,586 went to Rudy Wozney, 46, of Arcadia, Wis., who topped 94 competitors with a day-two catch of five bass weighing 11 pounds, 1 ounce. Wozney caught five bass weighing 10-1 on opening day to qualify for the final round.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,793 went to Steve Simer of Cottage Grove, Wis., with a day-two catch weighing 10-12, while Ron Kitterman of Waukesha, Wis., took third place and $896 with a day-two catch weighing 9-11. Benjamin Passa of Holman, Wis., took fourth and $777 with a day-two weight of 7-4. Fifth place and $717 went to August Pslum of Fond du Lac, Wis., with a day-two weight of 6-7.
August, amassed more points than any other co-angler during five regular season events to win the Co-Angler Divisional Points title and $500. He earned 231 points this season.
Greg Graurvogl, 28, of Cottage Grove, Wis., won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $470 with a 3-pound, 8-ounce bass that he caught on a shad-colored super fluke.
Billy Wilson of Coal Valley, Ill., won the Berkley Power Bait award, a package of baits valued at $200, for the heaviest overall catch on Power Bait or Frenzy lures. Wilson caught 3 pounds, 5 ounces of bass.
The trail’s championship event, the Red Man All-American, will award $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. Overall, more than $5.7 million could be awarded in 2000 based on full fields in each of the series’ 119 events nationwide.