BEMUS POINT, N.Y. (August 4, 2008) - Boater Charles Main of Ellwood, Pa., won the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Chautauqua Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces. The victory earned Main $2,456 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Albemarle Sound Regional Championship in Elizabeth Sound, N.C., Oct. 9-11, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Main caught his bass flipping docks and deep weed lines throwing jigs and tubes.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Jack Bell of Kane, Pa. (five bass, 17-10, $1,445); Monte Atkins of Greenville, Va. (five bass, 16-09, $964); Mike Kozell of Lancaster, N.Y. (five bass, 16-01, $674) and Bud Schosger of Painted Post, N.Y. (five bass, 15-14, $578).
Main took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $330 for a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass.
Michael Bahnweg of Union Dale, Pa., earned $1,445 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces that he caught on spinnerbaits in 6 to 8 feet of water.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Keith Diluzio of North East, Pa. (five bass, 13-05, $722); Frank Hutchinson of Sewell, N.J. (four bass, 12-02, $480); Bradley Petrie of Johnstown, N.Y. (five bass, 11-05, $337) and John Wolford of Ligonier, Pa. (five bass, 10-14, $289).
Bill Spindler of Turnersville, N.J., earned $165 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass he caught in shallow water on a black Senko.
Anglers will visit Oneida Lake in Brewerton, N.Y., Aug. 30 followed by a two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y., Sept. 20-21.