BREWERTON, N.Y. (Aug. 10, 2009) - Dean Pacella of Quakertown, Pa., won the Bass Fishing League Empire Division bass fishing tournament on Oneida Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounces. The victory earned Pacella $3,917 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.
Pacella said he caught his entire limit flipping on the south side of the Oneida Lake.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Joe Zombek II of Scranton, Pa. (five bass, 14-13, $1,958); Jamie Hartman of Poland, N.Y. (five bass, 14-12, $1,307); Jim Sweeney of West Dover, Vt. (five bass, 14-8, $914) and David Brill of Hanover Township, Pa. (five bass, 14-2, $783).
Dean Pacella also took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $520 for a 4-pound, 9-ounce bass he caught.
Mark Batur of Boonville, N.Y., earned $1,921 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces that he caught on a Keitech jig.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brian Dauberman of Mifflinburg, Pa. (five bass, 14-1, $960); Bryan Keith of Schenectady, N.Y. (five bass, 13-15, $641); Roxanne Przelski of Poland, N.Y. (five bass, 13-10, $448); and Richard Platt of Oneonta, N.Y. (five bass, 13-0, $384).
Robert Osterhout of Vestal, N.Y., earned $255 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 3-pound, 13-ounce bass.
The next Empire Division event will be held on Lake Champlain in Ticonderoga, N.Y., Aug. 22.