Opening Day Trophy Striper Made Three V's The Winner in VA ASA Contest

It was all over but the shouting when Vin Gerrior's Three V's weighed in a 46.4-pound striped bass during the Saturday, Nov. 17 opener of the American Striper Association (ASA) Hampton, Virginia Tournament out of Bluewater Yacht Sales. Other boaters struggled to come up with large bass, and even though Three V's could do no better than a 14.4-pounder Sunday their total of 60.8 pounds was far more than necessary to run away with the win.

Gerrior, from Centerville, Maryland, had his father, Vincent Sr., plus Brian Wuest and Robert Doran aboard his triple Mercury-powered Contender.

Since the migratory run hadn't reached that far south, Gerrior ran 75 miles north to his home waters at the northern end of Chesapeake Bay, near the Potomac River, to troll tendem white bucktail rigs for a good bite of eligible stripers before Wuest hooked the big fish.

The second day was more of a challenge as electronics problems shut down his middle engine and later affected another engine. Nevertheless, they got the trip in and managed to boat the mere 34-incher that proved to be good enough despite fewer hours to fish and without the good bait readings of the day before.

Three V's opening day striper wouldn't have won the contest by itself, but it would have been close as Rick Nunn's Hapi Daze matched two stripers of just 24.9 and 24.4 pounds to take second with a 49.3-pound total and add the Junior Angler prize for Greg Nunn. David Nova was close behind on Marlin Mania with bass of 22.1 and 26.1 pounds for a 48.2-pound total. Winning the Lady Angler award for the second tournament in a row was Mary Inman, aboard Chuck Arnold's Big Dog.

Robert Bracey grabbed fourth place on N.C. Sportsman with stripers of 27.5 and 17.6 pounds for a 45.1 total. Joe Vezzozi came down from Point Pleasant, New Jersey to win fifth on Undisputed with a 41.8-pound total. Max King on Chesapeake Bay Angler Magazine claimed sixth at 39.8 pounds. Chuck Anold's Big Dog finished seventh with stripers of 21.6 and 17.6 pounds for a 39.2-pound total. This total also provided Mary Inman with her second consecutive award for Lady Angler. Kenneth George Sr. put together bass of 22.75 and 16.35 pounds on Joe Dee G for 39.1 pounds and eighth place. Stuart Fishman, fresh off putting a "57" in his Cuttin-Thru to win the Cape May ASA Tournament, could only come up with 15.9-and-18.9-pounders this time for a ninth place 34.8 pounds -- just ahead of the 34.6 pounds by Tom Rooney Sr. on Murphy's.

The next ASA tournament will be held at Little Creek Marina in Norfolk, Virginia on December 8th-10th. For more ASA information, go to www.fishasa.com.