PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (June 25, 2007) - Boater Thomas Lavictoire of West Rutland, Vt., won the Bass Fishing League Empire Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Champlain Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned Lavictoire $4,105 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Potomac River Regional Championship in Marbury, Md., Oct. 11-13, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Lavictoire caught his fish with tubes and Senkos within 25 miles of launch.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Hugh Worth III of Milford, N.H. (five bass, 16-06, $2,415); Stephen Deguzis of Bristol, Conn. (five bass, 16-04, $1,609); Darren Leggett of Wyoming, R.I. (five bass, 15-14, $1,127) and Dale Brown of Alburg, Vt. (five bass, 15-12, $966).
Simon Morgan of Mansfield, Pa., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $720 for a 5-pound bass.
Dennis Rhodes of Philadelphia, N.Y., earned $2,343 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces that he caught while fishing near rock flats.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Edward Piwonski of Granby, Conn. (five bass, 15-11, $1,172); Howard Hammonds of Portersville, Pa. (five bass, 14-04, $781); Kenneth Davison of Websterville, Vt. (five bass, 14-01, $547) and Rex Magargle of Turbotville, Pa. (five bass, 13-10, $469).
Dennis Snyder of Millville, N.J., earned $345 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass.
The Empire Division's next event will be July 14 on Oneida Lake in Brewerton, N.Y., followed by a tournament Aug. 11 on 1000 Islands in Clayton, N.Y. The division's fourth event will be held Aug. 25 on Seneca Lake in Geneva, N.Y., and the final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 22-23 on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y.