BLACK WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE ILLINI DIVISION OPENER ON REND LAKE

BLACK WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE ILLINI DIVISION OPENER ON REND LAKE

Rossi wins co-angler title

[print_link]

WHITTINGTON, Ill. (April 25, 2016) – Michael Black of Toledo, Illinois, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the first FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Illini Division tournament of 2016 on Rend Lake. For his victory, Black took home $8,240.

According to tournament reports, Black fished in mid-lake areas and used a Custom Cast Lures jig.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st:          Michael Black, Toledo, Ill., five bass, 19-12, $6,240 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus

2^nd:         Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., four bass, 15-1, $2,288

3^rd:          Travis Gillett, Salem, Ill., five bass, 12-0, $1,525

4^th:          Toby Corn, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 11-15, $1,068

5^th:          Neil McCord, West Frankfort, Ill., three bass, 8-15, $915

6^th:          Darren Frazier, Anna, Ill., three bass, 8-14, $839

7^th:          Derek Jenkel, Pinckneyville, Ill., five bass, 8-6, $763

8^th:          Dan Shoraga, West Frankfort, Ill., three bass, 8-5, $686

9^th:          Larry Caldwell, Saint Peters, Mo., three bass, 7-8, $610

10^th:        Paul Leonard, Chatham, Ill., two bass, 7-2, $534

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Black also caught a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $665.

Mario Rossi of Granite City, Illinois, weighed in three bass totaling 7 pounds, 2 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,140.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1^st:          Mario Rossi, Granite City, Ill., three bass, 7-2, $2,140

2^nd:         Mike Houle, Orland Park, Ill., two bass, 6-6, $1,070

3^rd:          Chris Gable, Eddyville, Ky., one bass, 5-10, $1,014

4^th:          Dave Dobill, Royalton, Ill., two bass, 5-5, $499

5^th:          Anthony Macon, Greenville, Ill., two bass, 4-7, $428

6^th:          Jarred Metje, Woodlawn, Ill., one bass, 3-15, $392

7^th:          Bill Higgins, Albers, Ill., two bass, 3-13, $357

8^th:          Ryan Fancher, Olney, Ill., one bass, 3-9, $321

9^th:          Tony Kirkpatrick, Woodlawn, Ill., one bass, 3-5, $285

10^th:        Danny Toohey, Greenville, Ill., one bass, 3-1, $250

Gable caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $302.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 13-15 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C 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 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.