Deushane dominates at Wal-Mart BFL Illini Division tourney - Major League Fishing

Deushane dominates at Wal-Mart BFL Illini Division tourney

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Mike Deushane of East Peoria, Ill., topped 126 Wal-Mart BFL competitors July 20 on Lake Shelbyville. The catch earned him $3,619 and 200 points in the Boater Division. Angler: Mike Deushane.
July 20, 2002 • MLF • Archives

SHELBYVILLE, Ill. – Mike Deushane of East Peoria, Ill., topped 126 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League competitors Saturday on Lake Shelbyville with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him $3,619 and 200 points in the Boater Division.

Deushane caught his limit flipping a watermelon and chartreuse Brush Hog to willow points. The catch topped second-place boater Dan McDowell of Mattoon, Ill., by 8 ounces. McDowell finished the one-day tournament with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces worth $1,810.

Deushane also received a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Floyd Carder of Litchfield, Ill. (five bass, 13 pounds, 2 ounces, $1,086); Harold Buchmeier of Eico, Ill. (five bass, 11 pounds, 8 ounces, $869); and Eldon Best of Taylorville, Ill., (four bass, 11 pounds, 6 ounces, $796) rounded out the top five boaters.

McDowell earned boater big bass honors and $630 with a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass that he caught in shallow water on a black and blue jig.

Darrel Sollers of Herrin, Ill., claimed first place and $1,810 July 20 on Lake Shelbyville in the 126-competitor Co-angler Division.Darrel Sollers of Herrin, Ill., claimed first place and $1,810 in the 126-competitor Co-angler Division with four bass weighing 12 pounds, 6 ounces. He surpassed second-place co-angler Dennis Duffy of Westmont, Ill., by 1 pound, 6 ounces. Duffy finished with a four-bass catch weighing 11 pounds worth $905.

John Farmer of Crete, Ill., finished third with a four-bass catch weighing 9 pounds, 10 ounces worth $543. Greg Cooper of Chatham, Ill., took fourth place with three bass weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces worth $434. Tied for fifth with a 9-pound catch were Jim Konas of Loda, Ill., with three bass and Richard Peppers of Belleville, Ill., with two bass. Both anglers received $362 for their catch.

Co-angler Peppers earned big bass honors and $315 in his division with a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass.

Overall, eight five-bass limits were caught during the tournament.

The Wal-Mart BFL will visit the Ohio River Sept. 14-15 for a two-day Super Tournament, the Illini Division’s final regular-season event. The boater with the most points after the Super Tournament will be declared the Yamaha “Be the Best” Points Leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.

The top 30 Illini Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition presented by Yamaha Oct. 15-19 on Kentucky Lake near Gilbertsville, Ky., where they will go up against top competitors from the Great Lakes, Hoosier and Michigan divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative post-season tournaments in competitive angling.

2002 BFL awards could reach $7 million based on full fields.

Sponsors of the 2002 Wal-Mart BFL are Wal-Mart, ALPO Pet Foods, BC Powder, BFGoodrich Tires, Castrol, Chevy Trucks, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Evinrude, Faded Glory, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, GARMIN, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Minn Kota, Newell Rubbermaid, Pepsi, Poulan, Ranger Boats, Shop-Vac, Snickers, Stanley Works, Stren, US Bank, Weed Eater and Yamaha Outboards.