CLAYTON, N.Y. (Aug. 23, 2004) - Boater Division competitor Raymond Grimes of Albright, W. Va., earned $4,872 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division bass fishing tournament on Thousand Islands in Clayton. The tournament was the fourth of five regular-season Northeast Division events. The regular season will wrap up Sept. 11-12 with a two-day Super Tournament on Chautauqua Lake in Bemus Point.
Grimes' five-bass catch weighed 22 pounds, 14 ounces, and he caught them on a green pumpkin tube on a 1/2-ounce jig. He was fishing in 16 to 18 feet of water on a weedline edge with rocks.
ounding out the top five boaters are Michael Murphy of Norwich (five bass, 22 pounds, 1 ounce, $2,436); Gary Weir of Gouverneur (five bass, 19 pounds, 1 ounce, $1,657); Michael Beebe of Conneautville, Pa. (five bass, 18 pounds, 12 ounces, $1,267); and Mark Rice of Milton, Pa. (five bass, 18 pounds, 5 ounces, $1,072).
Mark Schafer of Williamstown, N.J., earned a $500 bonus from Ranger Boats as the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program, and he earned another $250 from Yamaha because his boat is powered by a Yamaha outboard. Pete Anderson of Titusville, Pa., earned $960 as the Boater Division big-bass award winner with a 6-pound, 6-ounce bass he caught on a 1/2-ounce black and blue jig.
Rex Magargle of Turbotville, Pa., won the Co-angler Division with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 13 ounces. He caught his tournament-winning bass on a Senko and earned $2,436 for the win.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Anthony Watts of Brookhaven, Pa. (five bass, 17 pounds, 3 ounces, $1,218); Tony Dorman of Springville, Pa. (five bass, 15 pounds, 6 ounces, $828); Daniel Hann of Williamson (five bass, 15 pounds, 3 ounces, $633); and John Ciavaglia of Pittsford (five bass, 15 pounds, 1 ounce, $536).
Ciavaglia caught a 6-pound bass to win Co-angler Division big-bass honors and $480. He caught his big bass on a Senko.