David Eggers (Granger) and Tad Hepler (Niles), defending champions in the Sturgeon Bay Open in Wisconsin, finished 13th this year and took home $1,800.

The Michiana team had 48.48 pounds of smallmouth during the two-day event won by locals Jason Stangal and John Ullmer who had 57.87 pounds, including 29.22 pounds the second day.

The annual tournament featured 127 boats that weighed in 134 20-pound-plus limits over the two days. There were nine smallmouth caught that weighed 7 pounds or more and big bass was an 8.78-pound, 22-inch smallmouth.

“We just couldn’t get a fish over 5 ½ pounds,” said Hepler. “Nearly every team that finished ahead of us had a 6 or 7 pounder in their sack.”

Hepler and Eggers used swimbaits and tubes to catch their fish.