CATSKILL, N.Y. (July 24, 2006) - Boater Joseph Mahood of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., earned $3,247 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division bass fishing tournament on the Hudson River. The tournament was the third of five regular-season Northeast Division events and earned Mahood 200 points in the Boater Division.
Mahood's winning catch of five bass weighed 17 pounds, 11 ounces.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Donald Muir of Nottingham, Md. (five bass, 14 pounds, 9 ounces, $1,623); Brian Baranowski of Manchester, Conn. (five bass, 13 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,082); Daniel Downer of Conowingo, Md., (four bass, 12 pounds, 14 ounces, $758) and Terry Roberson of Williamstown, N.J. (five bass, 12 pounds, 10 ounces, $649).
Baranowski also took home an additional $500 for being the highest placing Ranger Cup participant.
Chris Panetta of Red Hook, N.Y. earned $390 as the co-angler big bass award winner with a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Derik Gardella of Hackettstown, N.J., won the Co-angler Division to earn $1,582 thanks to five bass weighing 11 pounds, 15 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Merrill Showers of New Columbia, Pa. (five bass, 9 pounds, $791); Joel Radner of Wilbraham, Ma. (three bass, 8 pounds, 3 ounces, $526); Jeremy Landry of Waterford, N.Y. (four bass, 7 pounds, 14 ounces, $369); and Steven Wannberg of Wilmington, Del. Tied with Brian Wisniewski of South Amboy, N.J. (four bass, 7 pounds, 11 ounces, $303).
James Canning of Meriden, Conn., earned $190 as the co-angler big-bass award winner with a 4-pound, 6-ounce bass.
The Northeast Division's next event will take place on Chesapeake Bay near Elkton, Md., Aug. 19. The Northeast Division will wrap up its regular season Sept. 9-10 with a two-day Super Tournament, the divisions fifth and final event, on the Potomac River near LaPlata, Md.
Following the regular season, the boater with the most points who advances farthest in the Wal-Mart BFL All-American will earn $10,000 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion. The co-angler points champion who advances farthest will earn $5,000 as the Yamaha "Be the Best" points champion in the Co-angler Division.
Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points, with 200 points going to the winner, 199 for second, 198 for third, and so on except for Super Tournaments, which award 300 points to the winner, 299 for second, 298 for third, and so on. The top 40 Northeast Division boaters and co-anglers based on year-end points standings will advance to the Smith Mountain Regional near Moneta, Va., Oct. 19-21, where they will compete against Empire, North Carolina and Piedmont anglers for one of six slots in the 2007 All-American.