PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. – Mike Felderman, 32, of Galena, Ill., out-fished 123 competitors Saturday to earn $4,309 and 50 CITGO Challenge Points on the boater side of the Red Man Tournament Trail’s Great Lakes Division event on the Mississippi River.
Felderman caught five bass weighing 14 pounds during the one-day event to edge out Bruce Chandler of Holmen, Wis., who finished with a five-bass catch of 13-8 worth $2,154. Felderman caught his limit fishing tube baits around willow trees in pool No. 10.
Jeff Benson of LaCrosse, Wis., took third place and collected $1,077 with five bass weighing 13-4. Tom Howland of Riceville, Iowa, placed fourth and earned $934 with five bass weighing 12-13, while Shawn Drew of Montello, Wis., placed fifth and earned $862 with five bass weighing 12-11.
John Bomkamp, 49, of Muscoda, Wis., won the Abu Garcia Big Bass Award in the Boater Division and collected $615 with a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass that he caught on a jig.
First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,119 went Greg Graurvogl, 27, of Cottage Grove, Wis., who topped 121 competitors with five bass weighing 12-8. Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $1,060 went to Ben Hodapp of Madison Lake, Minn., for five bass weighing 12-5, while Matt Fitzpatrick of Onalaska, Wis., took third place and $530 with five bass weighing 11-3.
Graurvogl also won the co-angler Abu Garcia Big Bass Award of $302 with a 4-pound, 7-ounce bass that he caught on a white spinnerbait.
On July 8, the Red Man Tournament Trail will visit the Wolf River Chain for the third of five events in the Great Lakes Division. The boater with the most CITGO Challenge points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Sept. 16-17 on the Mississippi River, will be declared the Divisional Points Champion and awarded $1,000. The co-angler amassing the most points by the end of the season will receive $500.