SENECA FALLS, N.Y. (Aug. 4, 2003) - Dean Meckes of Clayton claimed $5,000 as the winner of the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division's third regular-season bass fishing tournament, held on Cayuga Lake near Seneca Falls. Meckes led the field of 202 boaters with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce.
Meckes caught his bass Saturday using a 4-inch Gambler tube. As the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, Meckes also claimed a $1,000 bonus from Ranger Boats.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Todd Cole of Geneseo (five bass, 17 pounds, 10 ounces, $2,500); Ken Golub of Pittsford (five bass, 16 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,700); William Slavis of Torrington, Conn. (five bass, 15 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,300); and David Livingston of Scottsville (five bass, 15 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,100).
Rick Morici of Haskell, N.J., topped 198 Co-angler Division competitors with a five-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 9 ounces that he caught using a finesse worm. Morici earned $2,493 for the win.
In second place was Patrick Casey of Waverly with a five-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 5 ounces that earned him $1,247. Third place was Lynn Baciuska of Afton with a five-bass catch weighing 13 pounds, 2 ounces that earned him $848. Fourth place was Charles Kolb of Shickshinny, Pa., with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces that earned him $648. Tied for fifth place were Dominic Despirito of Hazelton, Pa., and Geoff Trickler of Waterloo with a five-bass catch weighing 11 pounds, 13 ounces. Each received $498 for their catch.
Mike Trickler of Waterloo earned boater big-bass honors and $1,000 with a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass, and Kolb earned co-angler big-bass honors and $495 in his division with a 4-pound, 13-ounce bass.