Vitaro victorious at Buckeye Division tournament

James Vitaro of Wooster, Ohio, won the BFL Buckeye Division’s third regular-season stop, held July 19 on the Ohio River near Maysville, Ky. Vitaro led the field of 118 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces. Angler: Jim Vitaro.

July 19, 2003 • MLF • Archives

MAYSVILLE, Ky. – James Vitaro of Wooster, Ohio, claimed $3,446 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division’s third regular-season stop, held Saturday on the Ohio River near Maysville. Vitaro led the field of 118 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces.

Vitaro also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Gary Dees of Hamilton, Ohio (five bass, 8 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,723); Jerry Cross of Marysville, Ohio (five bass, 6 pounds, 15 ounces, $1,172); Keith Wheelock of Beaver Creek, Ohio (five bass, 6 pounds, 8 ounces, $896); and Terry Squire of Medina, Ohio (five bass, 6 pounds, 6 ounces, $758).

Ken Garbe of Batavia, Ohio, topped 118 Co-angler Division competitors with a three-bass catch weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce. Garbe earned $1,723 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Dan Schlegel of Cincinnati (five bass, 5 pounds, 11 ounces, $862); Kevin Henry of Franklin, Ohio (three bass, 4 pounds, 9 ounces, $586); Steven Fant of Burlington (one bass, 4 pounds, 2 ounces, $448); and Rob Sierschula of Huber Heights, Ohio (three bass, 3 pounds, 14 ounces, $379).

Dees earned boater big-bass honors and $590 with a 3-pound, 12-ounce bass, and Fant earned co-angler big-bass honors and $295 in his division with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass.

The Buckeye Division will make its fourth regular-season stop Aug. 16 on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Ind. The 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.

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