CATSKILL, N.Y. (Sept.12, 2007) - Pro Edward Cowan of Greeley, Pa., caught a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces Wednesday to lead opening day of the $275,225 Stren Series Northern Division bass fishing tournament on the Hudson River. "I fished everywhere on the river that I thought I could catch a fish today," said Cowan, a two-time TBF National Champion. "The fish are in transition. There doesn't seem to be any concentration. You have to have current to catch anything no matter how you are fishing. If there is a way to catch a fish here I fished that way today."
Rounding out the top five pros are Joe Balog of Harrison Township, Mich. (five bass, 12-15); Thomas Wooten of Huddleston, Va. (five bass, 12-01); Thomas Lavictoire of West Rutland, Vt. (three bass, 9-14); and Sparky Petersen of Laytonsville, Md. (three bass, 9-04).
Cowan also earned $185 for the Snickers Big Bass award in the Pro Division thanks to a 4-pound, 14-ounce bass he caught on a Hildebrant spinnerbait.
Overall there were 111 bass weighing 274 pounds, 12 ounces caught by 58 pros Wednesday. The catch included four five-bass limits.
Charlie Reed Jr. of Hayes, Va., leads the Co-angler Division in the chase for a top award of $35,000, including a 519VX Ranger if contingency guidelines are met. He caught three bass weighing 7-11 while fishing with pro David Cioppa of Hopkinton, Mass., who is currently in 57th place.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Mike Orbell of Silver Springs, Md. (two bass, 6-06); Bill Spindler of Turnersville, N.J. (three bass, 6-06); Jon Newman of Brielle, N.J. (two bass, 5-06); and Boyd Dowell of Minerva, Ohio (two bass, 4-15). Chuck George of Upton, Mass., earned $105 for the Snickers Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division thanks to a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass.
Overall there were 41 bass weighing 107 pounds, 14 ounces caught by 30 co-anglers Wednesday. The catch included zero five-bass limits.
The top 40 co-anglers from each Stren Series division will also advance to the championship, where they will fish for as much as $70,000. The highest-finishing co-angler from each division at the championship will then advance to the 2008 Forrest Wood Cup.
Anglers will take off at 6:30 each morning from Dutchmen's Landing located at Lower Main Street in Catskill. Thursday and Friday's weigh-in will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday's weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 265 W. Bridge St. in Catskill beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
Stren Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of two rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. At the conclusion of Friday's weigh-in, the field is cut to the top 10 pros and co-anglers based on the heaviest three-day accumulated weights. These anglers continue competition Saturday, with the winners determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.