WATERLOO, N.Y. (July 17, 2006) - Boater Rick Lillegard of Shoreham, Vt., earned $4,507 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Empire Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Cayuga. The tournament was the second of five regular-season Empire Division events and earned Lillegard 200 points in the Boater Division.
Lillegard's winning catch of five bass weighed 15 pounds, 3 ounces.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Marc Saracene of Webster, N.Y. (five bass, 14 pounds, 1 ounce, $2,253); Robert Daly of South Easton, Mass. (five bass, 13 pounds, 4 ounces, $1,502); Matthew Martin of La Fayette, N.Y., (five bass, 12 pounds, 6 ounces, $1,052) and Thomas Tennity of Marion, N.Y. (five bass, 12 pounds, 5 ounces, $901).
Tennity also took home an additional $655 for winning the Boater Division big bass award with a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass.
Daly also took home an additional $500 for being the highest placing Ranger Cup participant.
Brian Kelly of Liverpool, N.Y., won the Co-angler Division to earn $2,253 thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds, 10 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Donald Quonce of Pulaski, N.Y. (five bass, 10 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,127); Bill Spindler of Turnersville, N.J. (five bass, 9 pounds, 2 ounces, $751); Robert Secrist of Caneadea, N.Y. (three bass, 9 pounds, 1 ounce, $526); and Randy Gordner of Benton, Pa. (four bass, 9 pounds, $451).
Jerry Knier of Muncy, Pa., earned $327 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 5-pound bass.
The Empire Division's next event will take place on Lake Seneca near Geneva, N.Y., July 29 followed by an event on Aug. 26 on 1000 Islands near Clayton, N.Y. The Empire Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 23-24 with a two-day Super Tournament, the divisions fifth and final event, on Lake Champlain near Ticonderoga, N.Y.