Kremer wins Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League tourney on Lake Toho

Joseph Kremer (left) of Deltona, Fla., and co-angler Joshua Vest (right) of Okeechobee, Fla., showed off their first-place trophies during the Feb. 24 Wal-Mart tour event at Toho. Kremer, who recorded a catch of 19 pounds, 15 ounces, won $5,538 for his efforts. Vest, who landed a total catch of 13 pounds, 11 ounces, took home $2,769. Anglers: Joseph Kremer, Joshua Vest.

February 24, 2001 • MLF • Archives

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Joseph Kremer of Deltona, Fla., outpaced 176 competitors Saturday with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 15 ounces to win $5,538 and 200 points on the boater side of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Gator Division tourney on Lake Toho.

Kremer edged out Raymond Trudeau of St. Cloud, Fla., by 3 pounds, 14 ounces in the one-day event that set out from Kissimmee City Park. Trudeau finished with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 1 ounce to win $2,769. Kremer caught his limit, including an 8-pound, 14-ounce heavyweight that earned him an additional $880 as the tournament’s biggest bass, under partly cloudy skies while sight fishing with a grape-colored worm.

Don Demott of Boca Raton, Fla., took third place and collected $1,384 with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces. Doug Vest of Okeechobee, Fla., placed fourth and earned $1,200 with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 2 ounces, while Dave Dickens of Sarasota, Fla., placed fifth and earned $1,108 with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces.

First place in the Co-Angler Division and $2,769 went to Joshua Vest of Okeechobee, Fla., who topped 176 competitors with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 11 ounces. Second place in the division and $1,384 went to Lonnie Goodwin of Port Orange, Fla., with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 6 ounces, while Ricky Sawvell of Sarasota, Fla., took third place and $646 with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces.

Bob Harper of Kissimmee, Fla., won the co-angler Big Bass Award of $440 with a 6-pound, 12-ounce bass that he on a clown colored crankbait while fishing near Red’s fish camp.

Boater Allan Cagle of Winter Haven, Fla., won $500 as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program. He finished in sixth place with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 12 ounces.

Overall, 863 bass weighing 1,536 pounds, 10 ounces were caught during the tournament, including 74 five bass limits.

On March 24, the BFL will visit Lake Okeechobee for the third of five events in the Gator Division. The boater with the most points after the division’s season finale, a two-day Super Tournament Oct. 6-7 on Lake Okeechobee, 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.

The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Gator Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 23-27 on Wateree Lake near Camden, S.C., where they will go up against top competitors from the Bulldog, Mountain and Bama divisions for a shot at qualifying for the $250,000 All-American.

Awards for the 2001 BFL season could reach $5.7 million based on full fields at each tournament.