NORTH EAST, Md. (Aug. 11, 2008) - Boater Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Md., won the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division bass fishing tournament on Chesapeake Bay Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned Schmitt $3,297 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Albemarle Sound Regional Championship in Elizabeth City, N.C., Oct. 9-11, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"I caught all of my fish near the mouth of a major river," said Schmitt. "I threw a Buzz Bait near shallow grass and wood in about 2 or 3 feet of water."
With a limit in the boat by 10 a.m., Schmitt said, "I really caught a lot of fish between 10 and 12 that morning-probably 17 or 18 keepers."
Rounding out the top five boaters are Mark Schafer of Williamstown, N.J. (five bass, 16-03, $1,940); Dennis Deahl of Owings Mills, Md. (five bass, 14-01, $1,293); Steve Wisniewski of Smithfield, N.C. (five bass, 13-00, $905) and Daniel Nicholas of Sellersville, Pa. (five bass, 12-11, $776).
Jerry Gerlach of Lincoln University, Pa., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $515 for a 4-pound, 14-ounce bass.
Ryan Smith of Galloway, N.J., earned $1,902 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 10 pounds, 8 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are J.R. Robertson of Darlington, Md. (four bass, 9-08, $951); Ronald Zich of Springfield, Va. (four bass, 9-03, $634); David Hanson of Welcome, Md. (four bass, 9-01, $444) and William Higgins Jr. of Monroe Township, N.J. (five bass, 8-08, $380). James Donaldson of Wilmington, Del., earned $252 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 5-ounce bass he caught on a frog.
A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on the Potomac River in Marbury, Md., Sept. 27-28.