TRENTON, Mich. (Aug 18, 2007) - Pro Mike Trombly of Perrysburg, Ohio, caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win the $275,225 Stren Series Northern Division bass fishing tournament on the Detroit River with a four-day total of 20 bass weighing 79-00. For his victory, Trombly earned $25,000 cash and a $40,000 519VX Ranger boat powered by Yamaha.
"I am so excited about this win," said Trombly, who has amassed more than $193,000 in career earnings with FLW Outdoors. "I fished Lake Erie this week because I have more experience there. The fish roam more on Lake St. Clair, and I didn't want to go searching for them."
Trombly caught his bass this week on Lake Erie near rock piles throwing a tube.
Trombly opened the tournament in ninth place Wednesday with five bass weighing 20-01. On Thursday he added another five bass weighing 19-02. He then caught five bass weighing 19-06 on Friday to make the crucial top 10 cut in fifth place. Rounding out the top five pros are Brian Hensley of Edwardsburg, Mich. (20 bass, 78-03, $9,481); AC Campbell of Mineral Springs, Pa. (20 bass, 77-04, $8,534); Mike Crisp of Union Grove, Wis. (20 bass, 76-13, $7,585); and Chip Harrison of Bremen, Ind. (20 bass, 76-06, $6,637).
Hasty caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Friday - a 6-pound, 3-ounce that earned him the day's Snickers Big Bass award of $285.
Overall there were 49 bass weighing 172 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 10 pros Saturday. The catch included nine five-bass limits. Charles Hasty of Toledo, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division with a four-day total of 15 bass weighing 67-01.
"I didn't think I had what I needed to win," said Hasty, who has amassed over $16,000 as a co-angler in career earnings with FLW Outdoors. "Lake St. Clair is a great fishery. This time of year is perfect for a tournament."
Hasty caught his bass throwing a tube and drop shots.
Hasty caught five bass weighing 19-06 Wednesday while fishing with pro Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., to open the tournament in third place. He then caught five bass weighing 11-11 Thursday while fishing with pro Mike Weiss of Union Grove, Wis. On Friday he added five more bass weighing 18-07 to make the top 10 cut in third place while fishing with pro Kevin Hoey of St. Clair, Mich. Finally, on Saturday, he sealed the win with a five-bass catch weighing 17-09 while fishing with pro Koby Kreiger of Okeechobee, Fla.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Renee Hensley of Edwardsburg, Mich. (19 bass, 66-08, $3,836); Lynn Baciuska Jr. of Afton, N.Y. (20 bass, 63-15, $3,117); Kris Thornton of Osoeola, Ind. (20 bass, 63-11, $2,398); and Jeffery Cox of Saline, Mich. (20 bass, 63-00, $1,919).
John Shultz of Trucksville, Pa., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Thursday - a 6-pound, 5-ounce that earned him the day's Snickers Big Bass award of $144.
Overall there were 40 bass weighing 126 pounds caught by 10 co-anglers Saturday. The catch included six five-bass limits. The next Stren Series Northern Division event, hosted by the Greene County Tourism Department, will be held Sept. 12-15 on the Hudson River in Catskill, N.Y. Boats will launch from Dutchmen's Landing in Catskill and the final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart located at 265 West Bridge St. in Catskill.