CLAYTON, N.Y. – Frank Guarascio of Whitesboro, N.Y., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 23 pounds, 3 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Northeast Division event at 1000 Islands. For his victory, Guarascio earned $2,985.
“I fished in the EverStart series event up here last weekend,” said Guarascio. “I had found an area that was producing the quality needed to win a tournament, however due to the strong winds on day two I was not able to fish it and had a disappointing finish. I knew that if the weather cooperated for me during this event, I’d have a good shot.”
The weather did cooperate for the most part, and Guarascio was able to make the 40-mile run from Clayton to mid-lake on Lake Ontario. Guarascio fished isolated boulders and pea-gravel runs along the flats in 12- to 15-feet of water using a 31/2-inch Strike King Coffee Tube.
“The majority of my fish came on the Coffee Tube, but I got the big 5-pound, 2-ounce smallie by drop-shotting,” Guarascio said.
“The fish were not grouped up like they are traditionally at this time of year up here,” Guarascio went on to say. “I had to hit a lot of waypoints. I would pull up, catch one or two, and then move on. I had around 20 different waypoints that I was checking. My Phoenix boat was crucial for me out there. I had great ride time and it made the run with ease.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros:
2nd: Kevin Bishop, Hilton, N.Y., five bass, 21-14, $1,493
3rd: Joe Zombek, Scranton, Pa., five bass, 21-9, $994
4th: Dean Meckes, Clayton, N.Y., five bass, 20-14, $697
5th: Mark Schafer, Williamstown, N.J., five bass, 19-0, $597
6th: Howard Hammonds, Westport, N.Y., five bass, 17-13, $522
6th: Jamie Hartman, Newport, N.Y., five bass, 17-13, $522
8th: James Kloos, Monroe Township, N.Y., five bass, 17-3, $448
9th: John Lorenzo, Kane, Pa., five bass, 16-15, $373
9th: Matthew Martin, Chittenango, N.Y., five bass, 16-15, $373
Complete results can be found here.
Davis takes co-angler title
Jordon Davis of De Kalb Junction, N.Y., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win $1,493 in the co-angler division.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:
2nd: Joseph Zapf, Whippany, N.J., five bass, 18-15, $746
3rd: Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa., five bass, 17-4, $497
4th: William Maynard, Whitesboro, N.Y., five bass, 17-2, $348
5th: Dane Anderson, Newburgh, N.Y., five bass, 16-5, $299
6th: Matthew Hedges, Rome, N.Y., five bass, 16-0, $274
7th: Jody Werner, Tatamy, Pa., five bass, 15-11, $249
8th: Destin DeMarion, Erie, Pa., five bass, 14-14, $224
9th: George Barnes, Hughesville, Pa., five bass, 14-9, $199
10th: James Root, Greene, N.Y., five bass, 14-4, $174
Complete co-angler results can be found here.
The final BFL Northeast Division tournament is scheduled for Sept. 15-16 on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y. After that tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 11-13 Regional Championship on Kerr Lake in Henderson, N.C. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
About FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the “Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water,” through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world’s richest fantasy sports game – FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.