PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (Sept. 30, 2006) - Ranger pro Pete Gluszek of Franklinville, N.J., caught a final-round total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds to win the Stren Series Northeast Division event on Lake Champlain presented by Yamaha. Gluszek won $60,000, including a Ranger 519VX powered by a Yamaha outboard and equipped with
a Minn Kota trolling motor, Lowrance electronics and EverStart batteries.
"It was an awesome day," said Gluszek, who got his first Stren Series victory today. "This is my first Stren Series win, I have knocked on the door a few times but I have never got the big check. This is my first year where I fished only FLW events and it has been extremely rewarding. It is just so exciting to win and I look forward to a long relationship with FLW."
Gluszek was primarily power fishing largemouth all week. He was throwing a combination of jigs and soft plastics around submerged wood and grass in 5 to 25 feet of water.
Rounding out the top five pros are Aaron Wessles of Watervliet, N.Y. (10 bass, 31 pounds, 10 ounces, $10,000); Bounty pro Jacob Powroznik of Prince George, Va. (10 bass, 31 pounds, 10 ounces, $8,900); Charlie Hartley of Grove City, Ohio (10 bass, 30 pounds, 6 ounces, $7,900); and Kevin Kartesz of Jamestown, N.Y. (10 bass, 30 pounds, 4 ounces, $7,400).
Tim George of Kittanning, Pa., won the Co-angler Division and $5,000 cash. George brought in a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 12 ounces.
George opened the tournament Wednesday with four bass weighing 13 pounds, 12 ounces to make the top-20 cut in 10th place. He then caught five bass weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces Friday to make the top-10 cut in 3rd place. On Saturday he caught another five bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 8 ounces to secure his first ever Stren Series win.
"This place is awesome," said George, who fished with pro winner Pete Gluszek today. "It was finally my turn; my win was a little overdue, I have been fishing FLW events since 1998. I have been close several times including one this year on Erie where I finished sixth.
George was throwing a drop-shot and Carolina rig around rocks in grass beds in 5 to 25 feet of water. Rounding out the top five co-anglers are John Shultz of Trucksville, Pa. (10 bass, 29 pounds, 8 ounces, $4,000); Joshua Wagy of Dewitt, Va. (10 bass, 26 pounds, 4 ounces, $3,460); John Pellegrino of Smithtown, N.Y. (10 bass, 24 pounds, 8 ounces, $2,460); and Fred Hunter of Canton, Ohio (nine bass, 23 pounds, 11 ounces, $1,960).
Stren Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of three rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday and Thursday, and the top 20 pros and co-anglers - based on two-day accumulated weights - advance to day three. Anglers start at zero Thursday and compete for 10 spots in each division in the final round. Winners are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.
This Stren Series tournament is hosted by the Champlain Shores Visitors and Convention Bureau and I Love NY. For more information, visit goadirondack.com and iloveny.com.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Stratos Owners' Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $37.9 million through 249 events in 2006.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
Wal-Mart and many of America's largest and most-respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world's leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.
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