KINGSVILLE, Md. (Aug. 20, 2007) - Boater Rick Ash of Pottstown, Pa., won the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division bass fishing tournament on Chesapeake Bay Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces. The victory earned Ash $3,094 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.
Ash caught his bass flipping a black and blue jig to get his limit.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Howard Mahan of Oxford, Pa. (five bass, 13-13, $1,820); Bryan Schmitt of Baltimore, Md. (five bass, 13-12, $1,214); Mark Schafer of Williamsburg, N.J. (five bass, 11-11, $850) and Cornell Creciun of Quakertown, Pa. (five bass, 11-09, $728).
David Butenewicz of Monroeville, N.J., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $475 for a 4-pound, 13-ounce bass that he caught on a green worm.
Jeff Davis of Marlton Lakes, N.J., earned $1,820 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 9 pounds, 10 ounces that he caught flipping a spinnerbait in and around grass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Robert Wolf of Ambler, Pa. (five bass, 9-06, $910); John Cook of Horsham, Pa. (three bass, 8-02, $607); Matthew Yuengling of Hartsville, Pa. (four bass, 7-01, $425) and Gregory Smith of North Wales, Pa. (four bass, 7-00, $364).
Frank Rivera of Stroudsburg, Pa., earned $237 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 15-ounce bass that he caught on a black worm.