SANDUSKY, Ohio (Aug. 22, 2005) - Boater James Vitaro of Wooster earned $3,112 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Erie. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Buckeye Division events and earned Vitaro 200 points in the Boater Division.
Vitaro's winning catch of five bass weighed 23 pounds, 12 ounces. Vitaro threw a watermelon Phoenix tube on a 3/8-ounce jighead to catch his bass. Vitaro won an additional $450 for the Boater Division Big Bass award, thanks to a 6-pound bass. He earned another $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Finishing second was Donald Sibley of Strasburg with five bass weighing 21 pounds, 7 ounces that earned him $1,556. Craig Ambos of Botkins claimed $1,019 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 21 pounds, 6 ounces. In fourth was Jeff Melsop of East Liberty with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces worth $792, and finishing fifth and earning $651 was Grant Hatfield of Wadsworth with four bass weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces.
William Redmond of Sciotoville earned $1,556 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 22 pounds, 1 ounce that he caught on a Mizmo grub. Redmond also earned $225 as the co-angler Big Bass award winner, thanks to a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Larry Emerick of Canton (five bass, 18 pounds, 9 ounces, $778); Steve Sorrell of Dayton (four bass, 17 pounds, 15 ounces, $510); Jordan Cline of Hicksville (four bass, 15 pounds, 15 ounces, $396); and Brandon Good of Ft. Jennings (four bass, 14 pounds, 9 ounces, $325).
The Buckeye Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 10-11 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Erie near Sandusky.