LAKEVIEW, Ohio – Boater Michael Nesbitt of St. Paris caught five bass last Saturday weighing 10 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Indian Lake.
The tournament was the season-opener for the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division, and Nesbitt earned $5,154 for his victory.
“We went back to the Game Preserve where there was one spot I wanted to fish, and there were already boats there,” Nesbitt said. “I’m a big frog fisherman, but there were people already frogging there, so I just went to finesse fishing. We had boats literally right beside us all day. I threw a wacky rig and a swimbait, then caught one right at the end of the day on a frog that was a good cull up.”
Nesbitt said he made long casts to fish guarding fry around grass and lily pads and said the key to his success was bait placement more than anything else. He said he caught nine fish, all keepers, during the tournament.
“It was a pretty simple day, really,” Nesbitt said. “We just battled it out in one little area.
“All of my fish came on a spinning rod in the heavy vegetation,” Nesbitt added. “I was really trying to focus on winning this event and pre-fished four or five times for it. I’ve spent a lot of time on that lake.”
