Ritter top angler at BFL Great Lakes Division tournament

Jeff Ritter of Prairie du Chien, Wis., won the BFL Great Lakes Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held August 2 on the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien. Ritter led the field of 124 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 7 ounces. Angler: Jeff Ritter.

August 2, 2003 • MLF • Archives

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. – Jeff Ritter of Prairie du Chien claimed $3,554 as the winner of the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division’s fourth regular-season stop, held Saturday on the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien. Ritter led the field of 124 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 7 ounces.

Ritter caught his bass Saturday using a spinner bait. He also earned $1,000 from Garmin for using a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.

Rounding out the top five boaters are Chris Cox of Appleton (five bass, 15 pounds, $1,777); Darren Zumach of Onalaska (five bass, 14 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,208); Jeff Benson of Holmen (five bass, 14 pounds, 4 ounces, $924); and Darwin Kloft of Maquoketa, Iowa (five bass, 13 pounds, 13 ounces, $782).

Cox also claimed a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program.

Dave Norton of Burlington topped 124 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds, 11 ounces that he caught using a buzzbait. Norton earned $1,777 for the win.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Mike Riley of Wonder Lake, Ill. (five bass, 11 pounds, 9 ounces, $889); Craig Fanning of Elwood, Ill. (five bass, 11 pounds, 6 ounces, $604); Matt Felton of Wisconsin Dells (five bass, 11 pounds, 4 ounces, $462); and Casey Hewes of Milwaukee (five bass, 10 pounds, 14 ounces, $391).

Cox earned boater big-bass honors and $620 with a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass, and Frank Nester of Mount Carroll, Ill., earned co-angler big-bass honors and $310 in his division with an 4-pound, 5-ounce bass.

The Great Lakes Division’s final regular-season event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held Sept. 6-7 on the Mississippi River in Welch, Minn. 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 Great Lakes Division boaters and co-anglers will advance to regional competition Oct. 14-18 on Beaver Lake near Rogers, Ark., where they will go up against top competitors from the LBL, Okie and Ozark 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.