SHORAGA WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE ILLINI DIVISION EVENT ON OHIO RIVER

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GOLCONDA, Ill. (Aug. 10, 2015) – Dan Shoraga of West Frankfort, Illinois, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 12 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win the fourth Walmart Bass Fishing League Illini Division tournament on the Ohio River. For his victory, Shoraga earned $6,505.

Shoraga said he ran to the Cumberland River to target bass congregating in 20-yard stretches of riprap.

“I stayed on three spots throughout the day,” said Shoraga, who picked up his first win after two previous top-10 finishes in BFL competition. “I only caught seven keepers during the tournament, but it seemed like fish were biting about every 30 minutes.

“I caught the biggest fish of the tournament – a 5-pound, 4-ouncer – around 8:30 a.m. using a green-pumpkin and chartreuse-colored tube,” continued Shoraga. “For the remaining six I used a Zoom Trick Worm in the same color.”

Shoraga said it was his familiarity with the Cumberland River that helped him edge out the competition.

“There were several boats around me, but a lot of anglers tend to leave if they don’t get a quick bite,” said Shoraga. “In my experience on the Cumberland, you can go without a bite for an hour and then bring in three bass quick. You just have to keep your confidence.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Dan Shoraga, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 12-11, $3,505 +$2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus + $1,000 Mercury Bonus

2nd:         Jeff Fulkerson, Elizabethtown, Ill., five bass, 12-3, $1,753

3rd:          Chad Diedrich, Nashville, Ill., five bass, 10-7, $1,169

4th:          Delmar Burlison, Goreville, Ill., five bass, 10-6, $818

5th:          Leroy McDuffie, McLeansboro, Ill., five bass, 10-0, $701

6th:          Andre Dickneite, Freeburg, Mo., five bass, 9-12, $643

7th:          James Powell, Murphysboro, Ill., four bass, 9-2, $584

8th:          William Walker, Mulkeytown, Ill., five bass, 8-15, $526

9th:          Matt Jackson, Moweaqua, Ill., five bass, 8-0, $467

10th:        Jake Hurst, New Athens, Ill., five bass, 7-15, $409

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Shoraga also caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the pro division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $440.

Carl Lingle of Dongola, Illinois, weighed in five bass totaling 13 pounds, 8 ounces Saturday to win $1,753 in the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Carl Lingle, Dongola, Ill., five bass, 13-8, $1,753

2nd:         Jeffrey Lee, Olney, Ill., five bass, 9-7, $876

3rd:          Mario Rossi, Granite City, Ill., four bass, 7-14, $585

4th:          Scott Payne, Ingraham, Ill., five bass, 6-10, $409

5th:          Lance Dasenbrock, Effingham, Ill., three bass, 5-13, $351

6th:          Thomas  Helton, Charleston, Tenn., two bass, 5-10, $321

7th:          Chris Butler, Winchester, Ill., one bass, 5-7, $277

7th:          Brian Miller, Johnston City, Ill., two bass, 5-7, $277

9th:          Bob Rask, Dahinda, Ill., two bass, 5-4, $234

10th:        Sheldon  Ayers, Anna, Ill., three bass, 4-12, $204

Butler caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division and earned the day’s Big Bass award of $220.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. 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.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Rayovac FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

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