The New Hampshire B.A.S.S. Federation held its annual two day State Championship on September 10 and 11, 2005 out of the Apple Tree Island Marina on Lake Champlain in South Hero Vermont. This marks the third time that NH has held it’s STQT on Lake Champlain and the fishing just keeps getting better and better. The twenty-nine federated clubs in New Hampshire sent their top anglers to this year’s event and a total of 142 anglers comprised the tournament field.
Saturday’s weather featured a moderate north wind in the morning, than light winds prevailed on Lake Champlain for the afternoon. Sunny skies dominated throughout the day. Air temperatures started cool, but quickly rose into the upper 70’s. Very pleasant early autumn weather for the Champlain valley. Lake temperatures held in the low 70’s. Terrific fishing matched the perfect weather as most boats checked in with full limits and some beautiful fish hit the scales. Four bags over 18 lbs. were weighed in and the cut weight on Day 1 was an impressive 16 lbs. Pacing the tournament field was Back Bay angler Dave Andrews who dropped a mixed bag limit on the scales that weighed an STQT record 21.73 lbs. Anchoring Andrews’ catch was the Day 1 lunker largemouth at 5.20 lbs. Dave Leblanc from Contoocook held onto second place with another mixed bag that stretched the scales to 18.63 lbs. Evan Roberts held down third with 18.17 lbs and Al Smith stood in fourth place with 18.02 lbs.
Sunday’s final day start was moved up to 6:00 a.m. The day started much earlier for most as anglers met there partners and prepared to launch in the pre-dawn hours. Those that took the time to admire the beauty of the night sky were rewarded with a magnificent Northern Lights show complete with many shooting stars. A sunspot officially caused the rare solar activity, but remembering that this was 9-11 caused many to silently ponder the wonders of the world. The morning take-off went smoothly and featured light southern winds and cool temperatures. Daytime highs reached the low 80’s on the strength of the warm winds.
The wind change perhaps was responsible for lower weights across the board on Day 2. First day leader Dave Andrews of Bolton Massachusetts had little trouble with the changing conditions and checked in early in the first flight with another solid limit of mostly largemouth bass. Andrews’ Day 2 total of 21.15 lbs. was easily the biggest creel of the day and gave him a record setting total catch of 42.88 lbs. and nearly a 12 pound margin of victory. Dave focused primarily on smallmouth bass, but found that a small weedbed, saved for a kicker fish, held much more than just one fish. Big largemouth were grouped up on this spot and Andrews caught them by mainly flippin’ cinnamon colored Yamamoto Senkos into the weeds. Day One lunker was caught on a Green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hog and his Day 2 lunker of 6.77 lbs. grabbed a green pumpkin Yamamoto Hula Grub on a ¼ oz. Laketown screwlock jighead. This is Andrews’ second State Championship and he will be making his 14th trip to the Regional Championship. He wished to thank his partners Greg Day and Jon Rogers and also Owen’s Marine in Hookset NH for expertly rigging his new BassCat Puma the day before the tournament started.
Coastal Six angler Brian Lytle, a non-boater, grabbed second place with two consistent days that added up to 31.08 lbs. Lytle fished a weightless watermelon colored Yamamoto Senko in 10’ grass beds to catch his smallmouth bass limits. Lytle caught 10-12 keepers each day and earned his first trip to the Regional Championship. Brian wished to thank partners Mike McNamara and Dennis Kerns for their sportsmanship and support.
Finishing in third place was Brian Provencher of Manchester Bass Club who totaled 31.02 lbs. Brian fished green pumpkin Yamamoto Creatures rigged on a football head over rocky points in 7 – 10 feet of water. Proventure remained consistent each day and caught all smallmouth bass. He will be making his second trip to B.A.S.S. Regionals.
Dave Leblanc of Springfield NH grabbed 4th place with a two-day total of 30.63 lbs. Leblanc focused on smallmouth bass and caught approximately 30 keepers each day. He targeted shallow rocky flats that were interspersed with weeds in 4 to 10 feet of water.
Spinnerbaits and tubes were his choice of baits and key largemouth caught under shallow docks boosted his overall weight. Dave will be making his second trip to Regionals as he fished on the New Hampshire team that placed 3rd at the 2003 Regionals held on Lake Champlain. Dave also wished to thank his partner Bill Klinger who did not fish on Day 2 as to give Dave every opportunity to make the State Team.
Fifth place went to veteran Skeeter Pro Scott Parker. Parker qualified for his 8th State Team by virtue of a two-day total of 30.11 lbs. Parker targeted mainly smallmouth bass and utilized a drop-shot rig and a Lake Fork Tackle Baby Ring Fry in green pumpkin color. Parker looked for isolated rock-piles that acted as ambush points for the smallies. Parker relied on key largemouth weed beds to get a kicker largemouth each day of the event. Scott would like to thank Bill Kuslaka for the use of his spare prop on the second day.
Sixth place and the last boater spot went to former B.A.S.S. National qualifier Brian Morin of Hardcore Bass. Morin brought consistent limits of smallmouth bass to the scales each day and finished with a total of 10 bass for 29.83 lbs. Brian and his partners caught several limits each day by carolina-rigging a 6-inch Zoom Lizard in mossy pumpkin. His primary spot was a sharp break-line that went from 18 feet down to 60 feet.
Veteran New Hampshire angler Mike Plouffe of Clearwater Bass secured his first trip to the Regionals by catching consistent limits of smallmouth bass (that’s right smallmouth!). Plouffe flipped his own signature jig in black/blue to milfoil mats located in 8 to 10 feet of water. Mike divulged that adding rattles to his bait were key to his success. His two-day total was 29.27 lbs.
Another newcomer to the State Team is Dave Garrison of Sail-em Bass who finished 8th in this event. Garrison fished as a non-boater and targeted smallmouth bass by Carolina-rigging and drop-shotting worms and lizards. His two-day total was 28.86 lbs. and was caught in 8 to 15 feet of water that featured a grass and rock bottom.
Phil Breen, another Sail-em angler, placed 9th and qualified for his first State Team. Breen used a 6-inch carolina-rigged green pumpkin lizard over a rocky bottom in 25 to 30 feet of water. He caught all smallmouth bass and his two-day total was 28.79 lbs.
Federation President Rob Frye of Bubba Bassin Club took the 10th place spot on the 2006 Team. Frye also targeted smallmouth bass and weighed in 28.56 lbs to secure his second trip to the Regional Championship. Rob reported catching over 30 keepers on Saturday, but struggled to boat 12 on Sunday. He worked a drop shot rig exclusively and his preferred bait was a 4-inch Yamamoto Senko. Frye targeted main lake humps and points in 16 to 20 foot depths.
Federation newcomer, but longtime New Hampshire angler Dave Banford placed 11th and qualified for his first State Team. Banford also targeted smallmouth bass in deep water. He dragged 6-inch Zoom Lizards in green pumpkin and texas smoke colors over flats in 30-35 foot depths. Yellow perch schools were the key to finding the bass. The Contoocook Valley angler closed the tournament with a total weight of 27.77 lbs.
Brian Penney of Sail-Em Bass took the last non-boater spot on the team with a total weight of 27.63 lbs. Penney caught some shallow spinnerbait fish, but mainly relied on a carolina-rigged lizard fished in 20-foot depths to catch his smallmouth bass. This will be Penney’s first trip to the Regional Championship.
Finishing 13th and qualifying as the alternate for his fourth State Team is Al Smith of the NH Hook-setters. Smith utilized a watermelon colored carolina-rigged lizard in 15-20 feet of water to catch his smallmouth bass. His total weigh was 27.14 lbs.
Saturday Lunker Largemouth: Dave Andrews: 5.20 lbs.
Saturday Lunker Smallmouth: Brian Penney: 4.89 lbs.
Sunday Lunker Largemouth: Dave Andrews: 6.77 lbs.
Sunday Lunker Smallmouth: Jason Michaud: 4.60 lbs.
The New Hampshire B.A.S.S. Federation utilized several tanks filled with chemicals and ice in the weigh-in line to minimize stress on the fish. A total of 910 bass were caught during the weekend and only 22 fish were not released healthy back into Lake Champlain. Great job Tournament crew! Special thanks go out to our host club the Bass Casters and also to members of Bubba Bassin, Bass Hookers and Lakes Region for volunteering to help out and make the event run so smoothly.
The 2006 NH B.A.S.S. Federation State Team will be fishing the Regional Championship in September 2006 on Lake Champlain out of Plattsburg New York. As always we appreciate the support of our Federation sponsors: Host sponsor Hotspots Outfitters, Shimano, Skeeter Boats, Irwin Marine, Pennzoil Marine, Plano Molding Company, Poor Boyz Scent, Ranger, Yamaha, Minn Kota, Lowrance Electronics, Berkley Powerbait, Citgo, Northern BASS Supply, Keep Alive, Mepps/Mister Twister, Lucky Craft, Luhr Jenson, Stealth Stik, Zylas, Yamamoto Custom Baits, Ultimate Lure Saver, Hog Sticker, Lil Hustler Tackle, Extreme Bass, Stealth Charging Systems, Netters Inc, J&D Screenprinting and Embroidery, Cull-m-Rite, Rocky Ledge, Havoc Lures, Aqua View.
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