KINGSVILLE, Md. (Aug. 17, 2009) - Richard Haber Jr. of Severn, Md., won the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division bass fishing tournament on Chesapeake Bay Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 18 pounds, 6 ounces. The victory earned Haber $3,718 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Potomac River Regional Championship in Marbury, Md., Oct. 8-10 where he could ultimately win a new Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"I honestly didn't feel I had enough weight to win with the way the weights have been during previous tournaments this year," said Haber. "I thought I would need 20 pounds or better for a five-fish limit and that I would only place in the top five."
Haber fished the north end of the bay around a series of docks. He caught his limit using green pumpkin Sinkos and a black buzzbait.
Sunny conditions and minimal pressure from other boaters on the lake gave Haber exactly what he needed for a successful day of fishing. "I was fishing docks, so I needed the fish to be under the docks. There wasn't a lot of pressure in the places I was fishing so it worked out for me good."
Rounding out the top five boaters are George Loope of Mount Airy, Md., and Daniel Rodriguez of Monkton, Md. (five bass, 17-9, $1,548); John McGrath of Atco, N.J. (five bass, 17-3, $867); Jerry Gerlach of Lincoln University, Pa., and J.R. Robertson of Darlington, Md. (five bass, 16-13, $713).
John McGrath took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $485 for a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass he caught.
Carl Hansen III of Nottingham, Pa., earned $1,859 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 16 pounds, 4 ounces that he caught on a jig.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Danny Vass of Street, Md. (five bass, 12-10, $929); Edward Bisaga of Franklinville, N.J. (two bass, 9-13, $619); Brett Ewing of Waldorf, Md. (three bass, 8-1, $382); Justin Largen of Centreville, Va. (two bass, 8-1, $382); Tim Sherman of Cub Hill, Md. (four bass, 8-1, $382).
Danny Vass earned $242 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass.
The next Northeast Division event, a two-day Super Tournament, will be held on Chesapeake Bay in Northeast, Md., Sept. 12-13.