GENEVA, N.Y. (Aug. 27, 2007) - Boater Jamie Hartman of Poland, N.Y., won the Bass Fishing League Empire Division tournament on Seneca Lake Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds, 7 ounces. The victory earned Hartman $3,053 plus a $538 Ranger contingency bonus 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.
Hartman caught his bass throwing a crankbait near weedlines to catch his limit.
Rounding out the top five boaters are William McKelvey of Belfast, N.Y. (five bass, 12-02, $1,796); Michael Trickler of Waterloo, N.Y. (five bass, 11-01, $1,201); Thomas Lavictoire of West Rutland, Vt. (five bass, 9-15, $838) and George Hutchinson of Mullica Hill, N.J. (five bass, 9-05, $718).
Jeffrey Kirkland of Dryden, N.Y., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $460 for a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass.
Thomas Prowant of Lewisburg, Pa., earned $1,796 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces that he caught while fishing a Lucky Craft Pointer near weedlines.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Terrry Bixler of Turbotville, Pa. (four bass, 8-00, $898); Larry Lafaver of Watertown, N.Y. (four bass, 7-13, $598); John Buries of Montoursville, Pa. (five bass, 7-07, $419) and Tim Stackus of Waterloo, N.Y. (five bass, 6-11, $359).
Charles Mackintosh of Victor, N.Y., earned $230 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 4-pound, 9-ounce bass. The final event of the regular season will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 22-23 on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh.