ROMULUS, N.Y. (Aug. 1, 2005) - Boater Henry Fristik of Chester, Mass., earned $3,996 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Empire Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Seneca. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Empire Division events and earned Fristik 200 points in the Boater Division.
Fristik's winning catch of five bass weighed 14 pounds, 4 ounces. Fristik fished over weeds with a crankbait and a Zoom Fluke to catch his bass. He earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award and another $1,000 as winner of the Garmin Grand award.
Finishing second was George Hutchinson of Mullica Hill, N.J., with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces that earned him $1,998. William Slavis of Torrington, Conn., claimed $1,309 as the third-place finisher thanks to five bass weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces. In fourth was Michael Murphy of Norwich with five bass weighing 12 pounds, 3 ounces worth $1,017, and finishing fifth and earning $836 was Ken Golub of Pittsford with five bass weighing 12 pounds.
Murphy took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $635 for a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass. He caught his big bass on a Hog Caller spinnerbait.
Richard French of Newfield earned $1,998 as the co-angler winner, thanks to five bass weighing 13 pounds, 13 ounces that he caught on a tube.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Marty Yu of Hamlin (five bass, 10 pounds, 7 ounces, $999); Thomas Prowant of Lewisburg, Pa. (five bass, 10 pounds, $651); Jareth Mielec of Kearny, N.J. (five bass, 8 pounds, 8 ounces, $509); and Don Kinney of Trout Run, Pa. (four bass, 8 pounds, 5 ounces, $418).
Roxanne Przelski of Poland earned $318 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass. Przelski caught the big bass on a green-pumpkin tube.
The Empire Division's next event will be held Aug. 20 at 1,000 Islands near Clayton. The division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 24-25 with a two-day Super Tournament on Lake Champlain near Ticonderoga.