August 30–31, 2025, Lake Champlain (Swanton, Vt.): Corey Gillis capped a standout season with a wire-to-wire win at the American Fishing Tour (AFT) Division 5 two-day championship and locked up the 2025 ABA-D5 Angler of the Year title.
Gillis posted back-to-back five-fish limits for 37.55 pounds, working 2 – 8 feet on hard spots with a ChatterBait and jigs. Days of prefishing and roughly 100 gallons of fuel helped him dial in three key areas. He earned $864 for the victory and added $150 for the weekend’s 6.00-pound Big Bass.
Runner-up: Brian Elder stacked two strong limits for 37.00 pounds, leaning on a flipping jig and a True South custom “roller” spinnerbait around depth changes and hard spots in the grass. He took home $446 for second plus a $150 big-bass payout.
Third: Gordon Bocash weighed 36.84 pounds for $158 and swept smallmouth Big Bass both days for another $300. Running 15–20 miles in his new Caymus, he targeted isolated smallmouth schooling on bait in 65–110 feet, rotating a Strike King 5.5 Sexy Spoon, Strike King 1/8-oz Pinger Minnow, and a Z-Too Smokey Shad on a dropshot.
Fourth: Daniel Gonsalves finished just behind with 36.80 pounds, grinding through five largemouth areas and power-fishing both days. A model of consistency all season, he remained in the AOY hunt until the final day’s weigh-in.
Fifth: Sheron K. Brown rounded out the top five with 33.84 pounds on back-to-back limits. He caught 37 bass by targeting specific vegetation with 1/2- and 3/4-oz jigs paired with craw trailers. With the lake more than four feet low, he had to adjust from his original plan but still closed out a solid ABA year.
What’s next: The 2026 Early-Bird for AFT Division 5 is set for September 27, 2025, at Long Pond, Harwich, MA.
Thank you: Director Daniel Kenney thanks all 2025 participants and volunteers, including Jim, Ryan, and Gerard, for help with setup, breakdown, the weigh table, fish care, and the board.
About American Bass Anglers
American Bass Anglers, committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments, offers an exciting platform for individual angler progression. With the support of industry-leading companies, ABA continues to advance the sport of bass fishing.
For more information about the American Couples Series and other series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is dedicated to organizing affordable, local tournaments for weekend anglers while offering opportunities for individual angler advancement. To learn more about American Bass Anglers, please visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
