White Lands Big Bag At Thousand Islands

CLAYTON, N.Y. – Jody D. White won the Boater Division in the American Bass Anglers Open Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, New York Division 23 tournament, held July 23, 2022, in the Thousand Islands area on the St. Lawrence River.

Launching at French Creek Marina in Clayton, N.Y., the angler from Shaftsbury, Vt. brought in an impressive 5-bass tournament limit for 26.31 pounds with a 5.71-pound kicker. That gave him a 5.26-pound average. 

“I fished in the river with a drop-shot rig all day,” White detailed. “I fished deep, about 35 to 45 feet with a half-ounce weight. It was wicked windy out there. I used a black and green pumpkin 3.25-inch flatworm. I had about 25 pounds by 9:30 a.m. I culled one at noon.”

Drop-shot rigs ruled the day with the top nine boaters bringing in sacks exceeding 20 pounds. Gordon “PB” L. Bocash of Woodstock, Conn. finished second among the boaters. His 5-bass limit weighed 24.48 pounds. He capped that catch with a 4.81-pounder.

“I went to Chaumont Bay and fished about 26 to 30 feet of water with a drop-shot rig tipped with a Berkley minnow in smoke color,” Bocash explained. “I used a 3/8-ounce weight. I caught most of the fish first thing in the morning. By 9:30 a.m., my trolling motor died, so I had to use the outboard for the rest of the day. I caught fish throughout the day. I just kept drifting across the same spot.”

Jesse P. Spellicy of Gouverneur, N.Y., placed third with five bass netting 24.16 pounds. Spellicy topped the sack with a 5.75-pound bass. 

 

“I fished a drop-shot rig with a black Berkley flatworm anywhere from eight feet to 25 feet deep,” Spellicy advised. “I used a 1/4-ounce weight. I was out on the lake.”

In fourth place, Brian Bylotas from Scott Township, Pa. found five good keepers going 23.83 pounds with a 5.97-pound kicker. Rounding out the top five boaters, John Paul P. Pelletier landed a 5-bass limit for 23.25 pounds including one triple-nickel 5.55-pounder. 

In a tournament in which at least 15 bass exceeding five pounds hit the scales, Richard Gabriesheski outdid them all. The boater from Dallas, Pa. finished 17th with four bass totaling 18.55 pounds, but one of them weighed 6.34 pounds. That fish took tournament lunker honors.

“I fished in about 28 feet of water in the river with a Berkley flatworm,” Gabriesheski said. “The big one was my first fish of the day. I caught it at about 7 a.m.”

In the Co-Angler Division, the top 11 competitors each landed double-digit sacks. Mark A. Marini of New Holland, Pa. put his 3-bass division limit on the scales to win with 13.15 pounds. He topped that bag with a 4.66-pounder for a 4.38-pound average. 

Less than a pound out of first, Jordan R. LaClair from Ogdensburg, N.Y. found three keepers for 12.37 pounds topped by a 4.61-pound kicker. LaClair picked up a check worth $550.

Taking the third spot among the co-anglers, James Zehelski of Barre, Maine, pulled in three bass at 12.04 pounds with a 3.85-pound kicker. 

“I used a drop-shot rig with a Varivas TRD in green pumpkin goldie,” Zehelski revealed. “The depth varied. I caught some fish in four feet of water and some in 18 feet of water. We caught fish all day.”

Ethan J. Hosier from West Pitson, Pa. placed fourth with three bass and 11.77 pounds, topped by a 4.40-pounder to win $300. Ryan W. Songaila of Harding, Pa. took the fifth spot among the co-anglers with a 3-bass limit tallying 11.55 pounds, capped by a 5.22-pound kicker.

Jim Buehler from Montoursville, Pa. finished 12th with two bass weighing 9.84 pounds. However, one of them dropped the scales to 6.24 pounds, the division lunker. 

“I caught my fish drop-shotting first thing in the morning,” Buehler said. “I used a white shad-shaped worm with a little chartreuse in it. I was fishing in about 25 feet of water and caught about 20 fish.”

The division wraps up its regular season at Chautauqua Lake on Aug. 27, 2022. That tournament runs out of Long Point State Park, located at 4459 New York Highway 430 in Bemus Point, N.Y. To register for that tournament, CLICK HERE.

American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, T-H Marine, Garmin Electronics, Power Pole, Lucas Oil, RT Outdoors, Sportsman Card, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com, and LurePartsOnline.com.

About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. 

For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Tour, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406

This story was written by ABA staff writer John N. Felsher. To submit articles of interest email info@americanbassanglers.com.