ELKTON, Md. (Aug. 21, 2006) - Boater Donald Muir of Nottingham, Md., earned $3,592 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division bass fishing tournament on Chesapeake Bay. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Northeast Division events and earned Muir 200 points in the Boater Division.
Muir's winning catch of five bass weighed 15 pounds, 8 ounces. He was throwing a top-water YUM Buzz Frog over submerged wood and weeds.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Chris Swearer of Pottstown, Penn. (five bass, 15 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,796); Howard Mahan of Oxford, Penn. and Joseph Thompson of Ridley Park, Penn. tied for third (five bass, 14 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,019); and Kenneth Enders of Joppa, Md. (five bass, 14 pounds, $718).
Swearer also won the Boater Division Big Bass award with a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass earning him an additional $460.
Steven Wannberg of Wilmington, Del., won the Co-angler Division and earned $1,796 thanks to five bass weighing 16 pounds, 3 ounces. Wannberg also earned $230 as the co-angler Snickers Big Bass winner with a 4-pound, 8-ounce bass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brandon Pyles of Frederick, Md. (five bass, 15 pounds, 1 ounces, $898); Stephen Watts of Rising Sun, Md. (five bass, 11 pounds, $598); Joseph Booker of New London Township, Penn. (five bass, 10 pounds, 13 ounces, $419); and Dan Phillips Jr. of Aberdeen, Md. (five bass, 10 pounds, 4 ounces, $359).
The Northeast Division next stop will be held on the Potomac River near LaPlata, Md., Sept. 9-10 for their two-day Super Tournament.
The top 40 Northeast Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the no-entry-fee Smith Mountain Regional Championship near Moneta, Va, Oct. 19-21, where they will compete against Empire, North Carolina and Piedmont anglers for a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck in the Boater Division plus six slots in the no-entry-fee 2007 Wal-Mart BFL All-American.