TICONDEROGA, N.Y. (June 20, 2005) - Boater Jim Sweeney of West Dover, Vt., earned $5,338 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Empire Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Champlain. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Empire Division events and featured 191 boaters vying for the win, which earned Sweeney 200 points in the Boater Division.
Sweeney's winning catch of five bass weighed 19 pounds, 8 ounces. Sweeney was fishing tubes around shallow wood when he caught his bass.
Sweeney earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Garmin Grand award.
Finishing second was Thomas Lavictoire of West Rutland, Vt., with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces that earned him $2,669. Curt Tindall of Brandon, Vt., claimed $1,744 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 17 pounds, 3 ounces. In fourth was Dennis Sikorski of Taftville, Conn., with five bass weighing 17 pounds, 2 ounces worth $1,359, and finishing fifth and earning $1,116 was Christopher Hall of Summit, Pa., with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces.
Tindall earned an additional $500 as winner of the Ranger Cup award. Mark Stolgitis of Rutland, Mass., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $955 for a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Jim Hodge of Corning bested 191 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,669 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 7 ounces that he caught on a crankbait.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Steve Pierson of Windsor (five bass, 13 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,334); Robert Secrist of Caneadea (five bass, 13 pounds, 9 ounces, $873); and Bob Laughran of Windsor Locks, Conn. (five bass, 13 pounds, 2 ounces, $679). Marty Riegal of Cortland and Tony Dorman of Springville, Pa., tied for fifth place. Each co-angler caught five bass weighing 13 pounds worth $509.
Peter Muse of Meredith, N.H., and Brian Keister of Sicklerville, N.J., each received big-bass award honors in the Co-angler Division. Each co-angler earned $239 with a 5-pound bass.
The Empire Division's next event will be held July 9 on Lake Cayuga near Seneca Falls, followed by an event on Seneca Lake near Romulus July 30. The fourth qualifying event will be held at 1,000 Islands near Clayton. The Empire Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 24-25 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Champlain near Ticonderoga.