Jody White Claims Victory at 1000 Islands
ATHENS, Ala. – Jody White, hailing from Shaftsbury, VT, emerged as the ABA Open Series NY Division tournament champion on July 15, 2023, at the renowned 1000 Islands fishing destination. Launching from French Creek Marina in Clayton, NY, White displayed exceptional skill by reeling in five-bass weighing an impressive total of 27.00 pounds. The 1000 Islands region is widely regarded as a favored location among anglers in New York, offering ample opportunities to land both sizable smallmouth and largemouth bass in the St. Lawrence River and on Lake Ontario. This tournament proved no exception to the abundance of fishing prospects.
Reflecting on his triumph, White expressed his enthusiasm: "Today was an outstanding day on the water. I managed to catch fish consistently throughout the day, and the action started early. Although I initially practiced on the lake, I couldn't crack the code there. So, I decided to trust my instincts and focus my efforts in the river. From the outset, it was smooth sailing. I caught the majority of my fish deep, using a drop shot technique in water depths ranging from 30 to 40 feet. I lost count of the number of four-pounders I landed; it was truly unbelievable. My go-to bait was a flat worm in shades of brown back and green pumpkin."
In addition to claiming the overall victory, Jody White secured the Big Bass Honors by reeling in an impressive 6.37-pound specimen.
Securing second place in the tournament was Jessie Spellicy from Gouverneur, NY, who weighed in a commendable five-bass limit totaling 24.96 pounds. Sharing his strategy, Spellicy explained, "I primarily focused my fishing efforts in the river, right around the mouth of the lake. Throughout the tournament, I targeted fish at various depths, employing a range of techniques such as using a hair jig, drop shot, ned rig, and tube. I adapted to the conditions and fished whatever presented itself in front of me."
JohnPaul Pelletier of Castleton, NY, secured the third position among boaters, amassing a weight of 22.36 pounds with his five-bass catch. Reflecting on his performance, Pelletier stated, "I headed towards the lake and found success using a green pumpkin goby ned rig to land my fish."
The fourth-place finisher, Mike Durbak from Woodbourne, NY, demonstrated skill and determination by capturing a five-bass limit weighing 22.28 pounds. Brian Campbell from PA secured the fifth position, reeling in a total of 21.65 pounds with his five-bass catch.
Top 20 Boaters PL Angler Fish Big Bass Total Points Payout 1 Jody D. White 5 6.37 27.00 250 5670 2 Jesse P. Spellicy 5 5.24 24.96 249 1000 3 John John Paul P. Pelletier 5 5.11 22.36 248 700 4 Michael Mike D. Durbak 5 5.40 22.28 247 500 5 Brian R. Campbell 5 5.65 21.65 246 400 6 Carl Nasello 5 4.54 20.68 245 380 7 Eugene Geno A. Bielawa 5 4.51 20.29 244 350 7 Henry J. Fristik 5 4.12 20.29 244 325 9 Brian D. Sanson 5 20.18 242 300 10 Brad Brad D. Brodnicki 5 4.52 20.06 241 250 11 Frank A. Guarascio 5 19.21 240 225 12 Richard Gabriesheski 5 18.77 239 210 13 Thomas A. Stange 5 18.64 238 200 14 Adam J. Singer 5 18.43 237 15 Brett S. Holmes 5 18.39 236 16 Donald Donald S. Tripoli 5 4.10 18.31 235 17 Charles A. Sim 5 18.23 234 18 Carl N. Sickles 5 17.87 233 19 Dan W. Bassett Jr 5 4.25 17.65 232 20 Connor D. Bell 5 4.79 17.56 231 Among the Co-Angler Division, Aaron Wilkie from North Bennington, VT, claimed victory with a weight of 13.42 pounds. Wilkie elaborated on his approach, "Throughout the day, we primarily fished the main river using a Carolina rig. The black and blue Berkley bandito bug proved to be a reliable bait choice. We employed a slow drag technique, targeting depths of 25 to 30 feet."
Jim Beuhler from Mountoursville, PA, secured second place in the Co-Angler Division, showcasing a three-fish catch weighing 13.27 pounds. Beuhler described his strategy: "I spent the entire day on the river, relying on my trusted green pumpkin tube bait. I fished in depths ranging from 25 to 50 feet, employing a dead sticking technique."
James Zehelski from Barre, MA, emerged as the recipient of the Big Bass Honors for Co-Anglers, landing an impressive 5.19-pound bass. Broden Herron from Seneca Falls, NY, clinched third place in the division with a total weight of 11.63 pounds. Terry Beck from Lock Haven, PA, secured fourth place with 11.60 pounds, and Joe Vacanti from Mount Laurel, NJ, rounded out the top five with a three-fish catch totaling 11.51 pounds.
Top 20 Co-Anglers PL Angler Fish Big Bass Total Points Payout 1 Aaron D. Wilkie 3 4.53 13.42 250 1000 2 Jim Buehler 3 4.63 13.27 249 550 3 Broden Brody L. Herron 3 5.03 11.63 248 350 4 Terry Terry M. Beck 3 11.60 247 275 5 Joseph J. Vacanti 3 4.08 11.51 246 200 6 Jordan R. LaClair 3 10.85 245 150 7 Andrew Pruitt R. Pruitt 3 10.73 244 100 8 Shane Shanner J. Lanzelotte 3 3.44 10.49 243 9 Justin B. Kuhns 3 4.72 10.22 242 10 Joseph Lanz A. Lanzelotte 3 10.06 241 11 Todd M. Holmes 3 9.67 240 12 Kevin G. Zimmerman 3 3.52 9.66 239 13 James Zehelski 2 5.19 9.03 238 175 14 Richard C. Jordan Jr 3 9.02 237 15 Rudy J. Staab 3 8.71 236 16 Carter Rosie A. Rosbrook 3 8.70 235 17 Matthew Matt B. Belmore 3 8.05 234 18 Nathan Nathan T. Tremblay 3 3.75 7.36 233 19 Michael S. Conway 3 7.03 232 20 Timothy C. Rougier 3 6.85 231 The next tournament in the NY Division is scheduled to take place on August 5, 2023, at Oneida Lake.
American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, T-H Marine, Power Pole, RT Outdoors, 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.
