Hesse wins stormy Mississippi River event
ATHENS, Ala. – Stormy weather couldn’t stop Chip Hesse from taking his victory in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Minnesota/Wisconsin District 17 tournament.
Hesse of Grandmound, Iowa, landed five bass weighing 17.83 pounds to win the Boater Division in the April 25, 2010, tournament held on Pools 7, 8 and 9 of the Mississippi River out of Copeland Park in LaCrosse, Wis. Close behind, Mike Brueggen of LaCrosse finished second with five bass for 17.40 pounds. In third among the 78 boaters, LaCrosse angler Jimmy Johnson landed five bass for 17.32 pounds.
Brandon Gann of Sparta, Wis., and Jesse Wolfe of Nelson, Wis., tied for fourth. Each landed a five-bass tournament limit weighing 16.94 pounds. Gann caught a 3.99-pounder with Wolfe putting a 3.86-pound kicker into the boat. However, Marty Sexton of Kennesaw, Ga., took tournament big
bass honors with a 5.01-pounder and seventh place overall with five bass for 16.54 pounds. “Despite poor weather, high winds and rain, 480 lively bass came to the scales and all were successfully released, thanks to quality angler fish care and the LaCrosse bass taxi and its crew,” said Vern Wagner, tournament director. “We paid out over $16,800 to 15 places on each side and for the big fish. Plus one contestant was drawn as a semi-finalist for the American Bass Anglers Adventure Fishaway Sweepstakes.” For the American Bass Anglers Adventure Fishaway Sweepstakes, five anglers and their guests will spend a weekend at a resort on Table Rock Lake in Missouri to fish with Kevin VanDam and Denny Brauer. VanDam, the current Bassmaster Classic champion, won three titles with Brauer taking one. The two champs will give the five winners some fishing pointers.
In the Co-Angler Division, Ron Check of Prairie Du Chien, Wis., won with three bass for 11.12 pounds, including a 3.89-pound kicker. Thomas Brogan of Arpin, Wis., took second with a division limit of three bass weighing 10.89 pounds with one 4.34-pound bucketmouth. Adam Douglas of
Dunkerton, Iowa, placed third with three bass for 9.71 pounds with one hitting 4.07 pounds. Rounding out the top five, Kelly Morrell of Spicer, Minn., finished fourth with three bass for a 9.64-pound bag anchored by a 3.70-pounder.
Right behind him, Mike Schams of LaCrosse landed three keepers at 9.38 pounds. Chong Vang of St. Paul, Minn., took division lunker honors with a 4.49 pounder.
“The Lacrosse Parks Department went the extra mile providing a rainproof shelter for Saturday night,” Wagner said. “Thanks also to the Days Inn Conference Center on French Island, Steve Low’s Midwest Toyota and Sue Weideman who came onsite with a great looking Tundra pickup.”
For more information on this event, call Vern Wagner, tournament director, at 612-756-3474 or American Bass Anglers at 888-203-6222. Send an e-mail to at [email protected].
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers offers over 1,000 tournaments per year in 40 states that are designed for the weekend angler. American Bass Anglers commitment is to provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, The American 150 Series or the American Couples Series, visit http://www.americanbassanglers.com.
