Malmquist Masters St. Clair
Newman nets co-angler title in shortened Michigan Super Tournament
Matthew Malmquist of White Lake, Michigan, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds even Sunday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Michigan Division Super Tournament on Lake St. Clair. For his victory, Malmquist took home $7,106.
The tournament, originally schedule for two days, became a one-day event when unsafe weather conditions forced FLW organizers to cancel the first day of competition.
“In the morning I stopped on a flat in the Middle Channel, which is a creek arm off of the St. Clair River,” says Malmquist, who earned his first win in BFL competition. “I threw a blue and yellow-colored Heddon Super Spook and caught a 4-pounder within minutes. After that, I ran to Lake Huron and hit some deep drifts in 30 to 35 feet of water. I boated one keeper in the 4-pound range on a drop-shot rig with a Baby Bass-colored Yamamoto Baits Shad Shape Worm.”
After his pair of 4-pounders, Malmquist says he stopped in Anchor Bay on Lake St. Clair to fish isolated grass patches. He connected with another 4-pounder on the drop-shot rig.
“Toward the end of the day I made one final run to an area known as Metro Beach, and caught two more keepers on a Magic Goby-colored Strike King Coffee Tube,” says Malmquist. “Those final catches sealed the deal for me. With how dirty the water was, the dark-colored tube did well. I think a lot of people left St. Clair because of the stained water, but it worked for me.”
The top 10 boaters:
1st: Matthew Malmquist, White Lake, Mich., five bass, 21-0, $5,106 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Brian Cox, Convoy, Ohio, five bass, 20-7, $2,403
3rd: Terry Bucciarelli, Ypsilanti, Mich., five bass, 19-15, $1,603
4th: Mark Flick, Delton, Mich., five bass, 19-7, $1,321
5th: Pat Upthagrove, Monroe, Mich., five bass, 19-4, $961
6th: Wayne Macklin, Fenton, Mich., five bass, 19-3, $981
7th: Steve Clapper, Lima, Ohio, five bass, 19-0, $801
8th: Freddy Hurley, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 18-14, $721
9th: Kyle Greene, Ortonville, Mich., five bass, 18-13, $641
10th: Angel Rosario, Kalamazoo, Mich., five bass, 18-10, $561
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Tony Yancey of Harrison Township, Michigan, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $577.
Newman wins co-angler title
Alex Newman of Wapakoneta, Ohio, won the co-angler division and earned $2,403 with a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers:
1st: Alex Newman, Wapakoneta, Ohio, five bass, 22-5, $2,403
2nd: Bill Dodge, Laingsburg, Mich., five bass, 19-2, $1,202
3rd: Darren New, New Castle, Ind., five bass, 18-11, $801
4th: Brian Ruetz, Toledo, Ohio, five bass, 17-11, $761
5th: Gary Polenz, Milan, Mich., five bass, 17-8, $481
6th: Scott Davis, Coloma, Mich., five bass, 17-6, $441
7th: Mike Raber, Wolcottville, Ind., five bass, 17-3, $401
8th: Mark Miller, Baltic, Ohio, five bass, 16-10, $360
9th: Jason Luna, New Boston, Mich., five bass, 16-2, $320
10th: Joey Zakrajsek, Saline, Mich., five bass, 16-2, $280
Joe Minor of Three Rivers, Michigan, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce, and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $289.
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.