Macklin wins Michigan Division on St. Clair - Major League Fishing

Macklin wins Michigan Division on St. Clair

Cramier claims co-angler crown
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Wayne Macklin of Fowlerville, Mich., won the July 28 Michigan Division event on Lake St. Clair with a total catch of 22 pounds, 2 ounces. Macklin walked away with over $5,300 in prize money. Angler: Wayne Macklin.
July 28, 2012 • MLF • Archives

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Wayne Macklin of Fowlerville, Mich., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 22 pounds, 2 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Michigan Division event on Lake St. Clair. For his victory, Macklin earned $5,377.

“The lake has been fishing absolutely phenomenal lately,” said Macklin. “You can catch as many 21/2- to 3-pounders as you want. We have been catching 60 to 80 fish a day, but it’s been a struggle to find those big fish. That’s where I got lucky. My second fish I caught was a very nice 7-pounder, and that’s a huge upgrade in these tournaments. I was nervous that I caught him so early – those big fish are so hard to keep alive. I just kept up with Rejuvenade and babied her, and she was as alive at the weigh-in as she was when I caught her.

“I fished just one spot all day long,” Macklin continued. “The key for me was definitely patience. A lot of events I’ll have a few different areas and make the milk runs, but after I pulled out the big one right away I knew that I was going to be sitting there all day and grinding it out.”

Macklin targeted weed beds where the smallmouth were feeding on smaller perch. He fished in 9 to 10 feet of water, throwing a Clear Ghost Sexy Shad-colored Strike King shallow-running crankbait and drop-shotting the new green pumpkin-colored Strike King Dream Shot. His big bass came on the crankbait, but he found success with both all day long, catching 12 to 15 keepers. All five of Macklin’s fish weighed in were smallmouth, not at all uncommon on Lake St. Clair.

“The bite was a little tougher in the morning,” Macklin said. “Once the sun came out around 10:30 a.m. the bite picked up and got better. I really have to give credit to my Ranger boat with my Yamaha outboard. I also want to thank Wonderland Marine West, Solar Bat sunglasses, and letsremodel.com. They allow me to be out here doing what I love, and I couldn’t do it without them.”

Rounding out the top 10 pros:

2nd: Jason Root, Fostoria, Ohio, five bass, 21-5, $1,689

3rd: Rick Roberts, Macomb, Mich., five bass, 20-9, $1,128

4th: Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., five bass, 18-13, $788 + $1,000 Evinrude Bonus

5th: William Beal, Lenox, Mich., five bass, 18-7, $675

6th: Joe Balog, Harrison Township, Mich., five bass, 18-6, $619

7th: John Zubkoff, Monroe, Mich., five bass, 18-4, $563

8th: Brett Haake, Shorewood, Ill., five bass, 18-0, $507

9th: Chip Harrison, Pierceton, Ind., five bass, 17-14, $422

9th: Angers Ted, Harrison Township, Mich., five bass, 17-14, $422

Complete results can be found here.

Cramier wins co-angler title

Co-angler Joe Cramier of Westland, Mich., won the July 28 Michigan Division event on Lake St. Clair with a total weight of 21 pounds, 9 ounces. For his efforts, Cramier took home more than $1,600 in prize money. Joe Cramier of Westland, Mich., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 9 ounces Saturday to win $1,689 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:

2nd: Benny Gray, Ypsilanti, Mich., five bass, 20-5, $844

3rd: Jason Kopczyk, Commerce Township, Mich., five bass, 19-3, $564

4th: Philip Borsa, Redford, Mich., five bass, 18-1, $394

5th: Marvin Anderson, Russell Springs, Ky., five bass, 17-15, $338

6th: Ronnie Shephard Jr., Oak Hill, Ohio, five bass, 17-11, $310

7th: James Powers, Toledo, Ohio, five bass, 17-9, $281

8th: Hyman Johnson, Ypsilanti, Mich., five bass, 17-7, $253

9th: Cody Hitchcock, Sandusky, Mich., five bass, 17-5, $211

9th: Mike Schoemann, Waterford, Mich., five bass, 17-5, $211

Complete co-angler results can be found here.

The next BFL Michigan Division tournament is scheduled for Aug. 18 on the Grand River in Grand Haven, Mich. After the fifth Michigan Division tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 11-13 Regional Championship on Lake Barkley in Kuttawa, Ky. 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.