Denning Drives Slowly To Divisional Title

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The fishing was extremely tough during the Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Divisional at Monroe Lake, so Kurt Denning took the slow route to victory.

“There was only one bait for me, and I was fishing it brutally slow,” said Denning, a 38-year-old high school teacher from St. Meinrad, Ind.  “I fished a Yamamoto Senko (green pumpkin or green pumpkin/watermelon) between 4 and 16 feet of water and let it fall straight to the bottom. If they didn’t hit it, I would pick it up and throw it again. I did a little shaking with it on the bottom but not  moving it a good distance.”

The fishing was so tough at Monroe that no one in the entire field caught a limit during the three competition days. Denning won the event with only seven keepers weighing 17 pounds, 12 ounces.

The Shallow Minded Anglers club member targeted stump rows to catch his fish each day.  “In practice the fish were up on the stumps I could visually see,” he said.  “But when the sun came out and the tournament started, they disappeared up there.”

Denning missed out on the early morning light because he had to take a 1 1/2-hour ride each day through the idle zone up lake. “Maybe the fish were there at daybreak but of course I couldn’t be,” said Denning, who caught four keepers the first day.

After talking to Day 1 leader Stacy Moore, who also fished on the upper lake the first day, Denning decided to take the slow ride again on Day 2 and fish submerged stumps. “Luckily enough on Day 2 I got one good bite (4-pounds, 4-ounces) and figured out where I thought they had gone.”

Friday he decided to return to his primary area again even though he only caught the one keeper the second day there. “I caught a couple of short fish right out of the gate, and I thought they were biting a little better,” Denning said. “Then I also stuck a good one in about my first 15 minutes of fishing, but then I fished and fished and my partner caught two. So I just went fishing, and I got lucky enough to stick another one.”  Denning then got lucky enough to stick two more keepers and clinch his first divisional title.

Winning the divisional and finishing as the top angler on his state team also earned Denning a berth in the Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S.  Nation Championship (BNC) to be held on the Ouachita River in Louisiana Nov. 6-8.  Other state winners qualifying for the BNC are Ian MacDonald of Illinois; JJ Patton, Iowa; Jesse Weener, Michigan; Rich Lindgren, Minnesota; Danny Ryan, Ohio; Troy Diede, South Dakota; and Randy Burch, Wisconsin.

Minnesota won the team championship for the second straight year with 104-14 while the host Indiana squad finished second with 94 pounds.

Dailus Richardson and Trevor McKinney of Illinois won bragging rights and a trophy for finishing as the top high school team in the tournament.

Brad Gravenhof of Rochester, Minn., caught a 7-pound, 1-ounce largemouth the first day of the tournament to earn the $500 Carhartt Big Bass award.

2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Title Sponsor: Old Milwaukee

2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha

2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Supporting Sponsors: Boat US, Booyah, Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Plano, Power-Pole, Rigid Industries, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series presented by Allstate, B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.

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Media Contact: Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, [email protected] or Helen Northcutt, 205-313-0944, [email protected].

2014 Old Milwaukee BASS Nation Northern Divisional 8/13-8/15
Lake Monroe, Bloomington  IN.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 3

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts  

1.  Kurt Denning           St Meinrad, IN (IN)     7  17-12  0
2.  Jesse Weener           Holland, MI (MI)        7  17-03  0
3.  Troy Diede             Sioux Falls, SD (SD)    5  17-03  0
4.  HS IL McKinney – Richardson Benton, IL (IL)         6  17-00  0
5.  Danny Ryan             Cleves, OH (OH)         4  16-11  0
6.  Randy Burch            Ladysmith, WI (WI)      7  16-04  0
7.  Stacy Moore            Huntingburg, IN (IN)    4  15-05  0
8.  Ian MacDonald          Downers Graove, IL (IL) 5  14-08  0
9.  Richard Lindgren       Lakeville, MN (MN)      6  14-04  0
10. Brad Gravenhof         Rochester, MN (MN)      4  14-03  0
11. Ed Rounsaville         Indianapolis, IN (IN)   6  13-07  0
12. Corey Brant            Minnetonka, MN (MN)     5  13-07  0
13. Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI (WI)     3  12-11  0
14. Michael Kepp           Rochester, MN (MN)      4  12-08  0
15. Scott Tyrell           Commerce, MI (MI)       4  12-07  0
16. Kyle Sears             Morrow, OH (OH)         4  12-02  0
17. Kevin Fassbind         Cottage Grove, WI (WI)  5  10-07  0
18. Jarrod Sherwood        Vassar, MI (MI)         4  10-02  0
19. Kenneth Reed           Bloomington, IN (IN)    3  10-02  0
20. Cole Floyd             Leesburg, OH (OH)       4  09-15  0
21. Brandon Rose           Saginaw, MI (MI)        5  09-15  0
22. Richard Pach           Chicago, IL (IL)        3  09-14  0
23. Steve Ohst             Saint Joseph, MI (MI)   5  09-12  0
24. Josh Miller            Roberts, WI (WI)        4  09-08  0
25. JJ Patton              Eldridge, IA (IA)       3  09-02  0
26. Greg Johnson           Coralville, IA (IA)     5  09-01  0
27. Brent Haimes           Elgin, MN (MN)          4  08-15  0
28. Troy Lee               Star Prairie, WI (WI)   3  08-15  0
29. Steven Houdek          Calmar, IA (IA)         5  08-11  0
30. Brad Teel              Independence, IA (IA)   4  08-08  0
31. Sharaku Kishida        Duluth, MN (MN)         3  08-04  0
32. Victor Cole            Las Vegas, NV (MI)      2  08-03  0
33. Michael Yee            New Berlin, WI (WI)     3  08-02  0
34. Tim Frei               Springfield, OH (OH)    4  07-15  0
35. Luis Gonzalez          Round Lake Beach, IL (I 3  07-14  0
36. Brian Searcy           Muscatine, IA (IA)      2  07-09  0
37. Mike Mattis            Hudson, WI (WI)         2  07-07  0
38. Randy Wieczorek        Buffalo City, WI (MN)   4  07-06  0
39. Aaron Daeges           Carver, MN (MN)         4  07-02  0
40. HS SD – A. Hutmacher   Oacoma, SD (SD)         3  06-13  0
41. Mark Emenecker         Matton, IL (IL)         4  06-10  0
42. Mike Vertesch          Greenwod, IN (IN)       2  06-09  0
43. Shane Oltjenbruns      Neligh, NE (SD)         2  06-07  0
44. Christopher Lemon      Mooresville, IN (IN)    3  06-07  0
45. Gary Adkins            Green Bay, WI (WI)      2  06-06  0
46. Mike Holzer            Trempealeau, WI (MN)    2  06-03  0
47. Preston Johnson        Cameron, WI (WI)        3  05-15  0
48. Joseph Sestak          Tabor, SD (SD)          2  05-15  0
49. Paul Gohlke            Spruce, MI (MI)         2  05-12  0
50. Phillip Rummel         Mount Vernon, OH (OH)   2  05-09  0
51. Mark Lester            Albany, IN (IN)         3  05-04  0
52. HS MI – Sprague – Shaffer Bellevue, MI (MI)       2  05-03  0
53. Greg Silberg           Auburn, IN (IN)         3  05-00  0
54. Richard Hladky         Yankton, SD (SD)        3  04-15  0
55. Andrew Nitchals        Willmar, MN (MN)        1  04-14  0
56. Chris Fredrick         Marshfield, WI (WI)     1  04-10  0
57. Corey Peterson         Yankton, SD (SD)        2  04-06  0
58. Rodney Keel            Bloomington, IN (IN)    2  04-06  0
59. Larry Krohn            Le Center, MN (MN)      2  04-01  0
60. Darrin Hannah          Lisbon, IA (IA)         2  03-12  0
61. Bill Baker             Winnebago, IL (IL)      2  03-12  0
62. HS OH – Waller – Datz  Thornville, OH (OH)     2  03-10  0
63. Rick Mahoney           Winner, SD (SD)         1  03-06  0
64. Chuck Heming           Quincy, IL (IL)         2  03-06  0
65. Aaron Hochstedler      Greentown, IN (IN)      2  03-05  0
66. HS IN – Stafford Miller Bloomington, IN (IN)    2  03-04  0
67. Stephen Roth           Syracuse, IN (IN)       2  03-03  0
68. Joe Moyer              Dubuque, IA (IA)        2  03-03  0
69. Bret Reid              Piqua, OH (OH)          2  02-11  0
70. Monty Fralick          Martin, SD (SD)         1  02-10  0
71. Andy Williamson        Lake Andes, SD (SD)     1  02-05  0
72. HS MN – Stearns – Haroldson Lakeville, MN (MN)      1  02-03  0
73. Tony Flories           Tinley Park, IL (IL)    1  02-02  0
73. Jason Hewitt           Cedar Rapids, IA (IA)   1  02-02  0
73. Billy Pfeiffer         Darand, MI (MI)         1  02-02  0
76. Brian Christianson     La Crosse, WI (WI)      1  02-01  0
77. Nick Leonard           Cincinnati, OH (OH)     1  01-13  0
78. Tony Puelz             Garnavillo, IA (IA)     1  01-12  0
79. Rick Nesbitt           Springfield, OH (OH)    1  01-11  0
79. Kevin Rebouche         Frankfort, IL (IL)      1  01-11  0
81. Tom Logue              Tyndall, SD (SD)        1  01-10  0
82. Walter Hart            Washington Court House, 1  01-09  0
83. Nate Brown             Muscatine, IA (IA)      1  01-08  0
83. Tim Hartman            Effingham, IL (IL)      1  01-08  0
83. Jeff Lueck             Watertown, MN (MN)      1  01-08  0
83. HS WI – B. McCoy       LaCrosse, WI (WI)       1  01-08  0
87. Edward Schiller        Wixom, MI (MI)          1  01-06  0
88. Allen Severance        Lindenhurst, IL (IL)    1  01-04  0
89. Shawn Green            Battle Creek, MI (MI)   1  01-03  0
90. Chris Baker            West Salem, IL (IL)     0  00-00  0
90. Todd Bunnell           Franklin, OH (OH)       0  00-00  0
90. Kenny French           Brookville, IN (IN)     0  00-00  0
90. Gregory Glasser        Saline, MI (MI)         0  00-00  0
90. Dan Hamdorf            Lowden, IA (IA)         0  00-00  0
90. William Head           West Bloomfield, MI (MI 0  00-00  0
90. Lynn Krauchi           Mt Carmel, IL (IL)      0  00-00  0
90. Paul Lewndowski        Eau Claire, WI (WI)     0  00-00  0
90. Brett Logue            Lincoln, NE (SD)        0  00-00  0
90. Eric Lykins            Loveland, OH (OH)       0  00-00  0
90. HS IA McKinstry – Miller Marion, IA (IA)         0  00-00  0
90. Josh Mohn              Lansing, IA (IA)        0  00-00  0
90. Rex Ryckman            Ft. Pierre, SD (SD)     0  00-00  0
90. Michael Sledden        Aurora , IL (IL)        0  00-00  0
90. Steve Strope           Orchard, NE (SD)        0  00-00  0
90. Brad Wall              Clarksville, OH (OH)    0  00-00  0
———————————————————————–

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       0        84        232-05
2       0        91        225-07
3       0        75        162-05
———————————-
0       250       620-01

TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
———————————-
    State                Lbs-Oz
1 MINNESOTA            104-14
2 INDIANA               94-00
3 WISCONSIN             93-14
4 MICHIGAN              83-04
5 ILLINOIS              69-09
6 OHIO                  63-10
7 SOUTH DAKOTA          55-10
8 IOWA                  55-04

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
———————————————————————–

IOWA
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 JJ Patton            Eldridge, IA                3   09-02  0
2 Greg Johnson         Coralville, IA              5   09-01  0
3 Steven Houdek        Calmar, IA                  5   08-11  0
4 Brad Teel            Independence, IA            4   08-08  0
5 Brian Searcy         Muscatine, IA               2   07-09  0
6 Darrin Hannah        Lisbon, IA                  2   03-12  0
7 Joe Moyer            Dubuque, IA                 2   03-03  0
8 Jason Hewitt         Cedar Rapids, IA            1   02-02  0
9 Tony Puelz           Garnavillo, IA              1   01-12  0
10 Nate Brown           Muscatine, IA               1   01-08  0
11 Dan Hamdorf          Lowden, IA                  0   00-00  0
11 HS IA McKinstry – Miller Marion, IA                  0   00-00  0
11 Josh Mohn            Lansing, IA                 0   00-00  0

ILLINOIS
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 HS IL McKinney – Richardson Benton, IL                  6   17-00  0
2 Ian MacDonald        Downers Graove, IL          5   14-08  0
3 Richard Pach         Chicago, IL                 3   09-14  0
4 Luis Gonzalez        Round Lake Beach, IL        3   07-14  0
5 Mark Emenecker       Matton, IL                  4   06-10  0
6 Bill Baker           Winnebago, IL               2   03-12  0
7 Chuck Heming         Quincy, IL                  2   03-06  0
8 Tony Flories         Tinley Park, IL             1   02-02  0
9 Kevin Rebouche       Frankfort, IL               1   01-11  0
10 Tim Hartman          Effingham, IL               1   01-08  0
11 Allen Severance      Lindenhurst, IL             1   01-04  0
12 Chris Baker          West Salem, IL              0   00-00  0
12 Lynn Krauchi         Mt Carmel, IL               0   00-00  0
12 Michael Sledden      Aurora , IL                 0   00-00  0

INDIANA
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kurt Denning         St Meinrad, IN              7   17-12  0
2 Stacy Moore          Huntingburg, IN             4   15-05  0
3 Ed Rounsaville       Indianapolis, IN            6   13-07  0
4 Kenneth Reed         Bloomington, IN             3   10-02  0
5 Mike Vertesch        Greenwod, IN                2   06-09  0
6 Christopher Lemon    Mooresville, IN             3   06-07  0
7 Mark Lester          Albany, IN                  3   05-04  0
8 Greg Silberg         Auburn, IN                  3   05-00  0
9 Rodney Keel          Bloomington, IN             2   04-06  0
10 Aaron Hochstedler    Greentown, IN               2   03-05  0
11 HS IN – Stafford Miller Bloomington, IN             2   03-04  0
12 Stephen Roth         Syracuse, IN                2   03-03  0
13 Kenny French         Brookville, IN              0   00-00  0

MICHIGAN
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jesse Weener         Holland, MI                 7   17-03  0
2 Scott Tyrell         Commerce, MI                4   12-07  0
3 Jarrod Sherwood      Vassar, MI                  4   10-02  0
4 Brandon Rose         Saginaw, MI                 5   09-15  0
5 Steve Ohst           Saint Joseph, MI            5   09-12  0
6 Victor Cole          Las Vegas, NV               2   08-03  0
7 Paul Gohlke          Spruce, MI                  2   05-12  0
8 HS MI – Sprague – Shaffer Bellevue, MI                2   05-03  0
9 Billy Pfeiffer       Darand, MI                  1   02-02  0
10 Edward Schiller      Wixom, MI                   1   01-06  0
11 Shawn Green          Battle Creek, MI            1   01-03  0
12 Gregory Glasser      Saline, MI                  0   00-00  0
12 William Head         West Bloomfield, MI         0   00-00  0

MINNESOTA
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Richard Lindgren     Lakeville, MN               6   14-04  0
2 Brad Gravenhof       Rochester, MN               4   14-03  0
3 Corey Brant          Minnetonka, MN              5   13-07  0
4 Michael Kepp         Rochester, MN               4   12-08  0
5 Brent Haimes         Elgin, MN                   4   08-15  0
6 Sharaku Kishida      Duluth, MN                  3   08-04  0
7 Randy Wieczorek      Buffalo City, WI            4   07-06  0
8 Aaron Daeges         Carver, MN                  4   07-02  0
9 Mike Holzer          Trempealeau, WI             2   06-03  0
10 Andrew Nitchals      Willmar, MN                 1   04-14  0
11 Larry Krohn          Le Center, MN               2   04-01  0
12 HS MN – Stearns – Haroldson Lakeville, MN               1   02-03  0
13 Jeff Lueck           Watertown, MN               1   01-08  0

OHIO
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Danny Ryan           Cleves, OH                  4   16-11  0
2 Kyle Sears           Morrow, OH                  4   12-02  0
3 Cole Floyd           Leesburg, OH                4   09-15  0
4 Tim Frei             Springfield, OH             4   07-15  0
5 Phillip Rummel       Mount Vernon, OH            2   05-09  0
6 HS OH – Waller – Datz Thornville, OH              2   03-10  0
7 Bret Reid            Piqua, OH                   2   02-11  0
8 Nick Leonard         Cincinnati, OH              1   01-13  0
9 Rick Nesbitt         Springfield, OH             1   01-11  0
10 Walter Hart          Washington Court House,  1   01-09  0
11 Todd Bunnell         Franklin, OH                0   00-00  0
11 Eric Lykins          Loveland, OH                0   00-00  0
11 Brad Wall            Clarksville, OH             0   00-00  0

SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Troy Diede           Sioux Falls, SD             5   17-03  0
2 HS SD – A. Hutmacher Oacoma, SD                  3   06-13  0
3 Shane Oltjenbruns    Neligh, NE                  2   06-07  0
4 Joseph Sestak        Tabor, SD                   2   05-15  0
5 Richard Hladky       Yankton, SD                 3   04-15  0
6 Corey Peterson       Yankton, SD                 2   04-06  0
7 Rick Mahoney         Winner, SD                  1   03-06  0
8 Monty Fralick        Martin, SD                  1   02-10  0
9 Andy Williamson      Lake Andes, SD              1   02-05  0
10 Tom Logue            Tyndall, SD                 1   01-10  0
11 Brett Logue          Lincoln, NE                 0   00-00  0
11 Rex Ryckman          Ft. Pierre, SD              0   00-00  0
11 Steve Strope         Orchard, NE                 0   00-00  0

WISCONSIN
Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Randy Burch          Ladysmith, WI               7   16-04  0
2 Josh Wiesner         Fon du Lac, WI              3   12-11  0
3 Kevin Fassbind       Cottage Grove, WI           5   10-07  0
4 Josh Miller          Roberts, WI                 4   09-08  0
5 Troy Lee             Star Prairie, WI            3   08-15  0
6 Michael Yee          New Berlin, WI              3   08-02  0
7 Mike Mattis          Hudson, WI                  2   07-07  0
8 Gary Adkins          Green Bay, WI               2   06-06  0
9 Preston Johnson      Cameron, WI                 3   05-15  0
10 Chris Fredrick       Marshfield, WI              1   04-10  0
11 Brian Christianson   La Crosse, WI               1   02-01  0
12 HS WI – B. McCoy     LaCrosse, WI                1   01-08  0
13 Paul Lewndowski      Eau Claire, WI              0   00-00  0