Moran wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division tourney

Dan Moran of London, Ohio, won the BFL Buckeye Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held Aug. 16 on the Ohio River near Lawrenceburg. Moran led the field of 113 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces. Angler: Dan Moran.

August 16, 2003 • MLF • Archives

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. – Dan Moran of London, Ohio, claimed $3,368 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held Saturday on the Ohio River near Lawrenceburg. Moran led the field of 113 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces.

Moran caught his bass Saturday using a spinner bait. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Moran also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats, and he earned another $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Butch Dobransky of Canton, Ohio (five bass, 7 pounds, $1,684); Steve Floyd of Sabina, Ohio (five bass, 6 pounds, 13 ounces, $1,145); Jeff Melsop of East Liberty, Ohio (five bass, 6 pounds, 11 ounces, $876); and Rick Martin of Creola, Ohio (five bass, 6 pounds, 9 ounces, $741).

Glen Cronley of Kenton, Ohio, topped 112 Co-angler Division competitors with a four-bass catch weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught using a spinner bait. Cronley earned $1,669 for the win.

Tied for second place were Roy Lester of Hamilton, Ohio (three bass, 4 pounds, 3 ounces) and Bryan Martin of Pataskala, Ohio (four bass, 4 pounds, 3 ounces). Each received $701 for their catch. In fourth place was Donny Young of West Carrollton, Ohio, with a four-bass catch weighing 4 pounds, 2 ounces that earned him $434. In fifth place was Daniel Dobransky of Waynesburg, Ohio, with a three-bass catch weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces that earned him $367.

Mike Howard of Brookville, Ohio, earned boater big-bass honors and $656 with a 3-pound, 12-ounce bass, and Kenneth Allen of Orient, Ohio, earned co-angler big-bass honors and $280 in his division with an 2-pound, 15-ounce bass.

The Buckeye Division’s final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 13-14 on Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio. Following the regular season, the boater with the most points will be declared the Yamaha “Be the Best” points leader and awarded $1,000. The co-angler with the most points following the regular season will earn $500.

The top 30 Buckeye Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 7-11 on Lake Chautauqua near Jamestown, N.Y., where they will go up against top competitors from the Michigan, Northeast and Shenandoah divisions for a shot at qualifying for the Wal-Mart BFL All-American – one of the most lucrative postseason tournaments in competitive angling.

As much as $6 million will be awarded in the 2003 Wal-Mart BFL.
For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or browse this Web site.

Editor’s Note: Ranger Cup award winners are pending verification by Ranger Boats and thus are unofficial at this time.