Top
5 Finishers, Left to Right ,1st to 5th place:
Jim Missel,Carl Nasello,Mark Hertlein, Joe Angelone,
David Livingston, (not Pictured)
This was
our first tournament in the 2004 season, not counting the early birds
held last October. We all have been chomping at the bit to get our
boats out of storage and get our lines wet! We have been talking about
this tournament for quite some time. There was much skepticism and
anticipation…this was the first time that we ever ventured to
Lake Erie. BIG WATER….and can be treacherous at times. The directors
arrived at the ramp shortly after 4 am. The temperature was 43 degrees
at the launch site. However, when we left the house for the launch
site at 2:45 am the temperature was 38 degrees and a slight wind blowing.
We had a lighter turnout than expected…we had a total of 17
anglers. With several no-shows and one lost getting to the ramp. After
boat inspection and safety briefing, pairing took place and sendoff
was shortly after 6am with weight in to be at 2:30pm..
As mentioned
previously the temp at sendoff was approximately 43 degrees warming
to roughly 50degrees. The winds were blowing from the southeast, anywhere
from 0 to 15 mph, which was beneficial to fishing this lake. The American
side was somewhat protected. There are portions on this lake that
you need to be very careful, because you could end up in Canada. Let’s
not forget about the on and off rain from 10am all the way to weigh
in, at times very heavy.
This
tournament on Lake Erie is a special season for us anglers in Upstate
NY…our season usually doesn’t open until the middle of
June. This is a special trophy season that you are allowed to catch
one fish and bring it to the scale, the fish size limit had to be
minimum 15inches. All fish that were weighed were smallmouth bass…we
had 13 anglers weighing in fish. Most of the anglers were tight lipped
about what they were using and where they were fishing…my feeling
is that they didn’t want to share any information because we
have another tournament on this lake and location. However, I’ll
be happy to share my pattern. My first two fish came on a silver buddy.
The first was 2.7lbs. 15inches. Now folks I would like you to keep
track here of the pounds that were put back into the water. The second
fish was 3.4lbs, culling the first fish. My third fish came about
an hour later on a spoon 3.6lbs, culling the second fish. At no time
in this tournament could you have more than one fish in the boat.
My fourth fish came approximately an hour later 3.5lbs., keeping No.3…My
fifth fish 3.6….same weight as No.3….my sixth and seventh
fish came approximately and hour and half before having to come in
to set up for weighin. No.6th..4.6lbs….culling my number 3 fish
and with a few minutes left one of those “let me make one more
cast before I go in, deals” No. 7….which is the fish I
weighed and it was 5.02 lbs. All on a spoon…Oh yes I did forget
to mention the spoon is slightly modified. But it was silver. The
results are:
Top 5
First Place Jim Missel 6.40 lbs and the Big Bass
Second Place Carl Nasello 5.61 lbs
Third Place Mark Hertlein 5.28 lbs
Fourth Place Joe Angelone 5.02 lbs
Fifth Place David Livingston 4.90 lbs
Our next
tournament will be the same place, same time on May 29, 2004. This
will be an OPEN Tournamet.
See You
at the ramp!
Joe Angelone,
Director/Manager
