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New England Regional

Sunday, November 14, 2010

“Champs Ride Tide to Victory”
By
Billy "Hawkeye" Decoteau

October 16th-17th Hartford, CT: When it comes to New England weather Mark Twain said it best, “If you don’t like the weather wait a minute!” Such was the case at the USA Bassin 2-Day New England Regional Championship on the Connecticut River. (www.USABassin.com) Tidal water can be confusing enough, add to that extremely strong southerly winds, and the unknown opening of Connecticut River Dams north of Hartford all the way to the Canadian border!
    

Ct-Outfitters constantly kept ‘Regional Contenders’ savvy enough to utilize their river knowledge and web site tidal informational charts up-to-date on water conditions. (www.Ct-Outfitters.com) However, when it came to northern Connecticut River dams opening or closings, even the most knowledgeable Outfitter in Connecticut couldn’t predict the Day-2 water conditions.   

N.E. Regional Day#1: Thirty-five teams representing seven New England Divisions launched their boats from Hartford’s Riverside Park early Saturday morning for the 6:30 AM take-off. “We have three flights with ten minute intervals between flights. This will allow teams adequate time to load their boats on their trailers, make their way along the drive-thru weigh-in, and then prepare for Day#2,” informed Trish Decoteau assistant tournament director.
    

Weather forecast called for windy conditions with possible wind gusts up to 20-25 mph late in the afternoon, 30% chance of showers and temperatures reaching the mid-fifties. Recent rains raised river levels, allowing shallow water ‘River Rats’ to run their jet boats north some fifteen miles in search of giant smallmouth bass. While, the majority of the field took advantage of Connecticut’s Tidal Queen’s fifty-mile southerly tract, comprised of backwater ponds, creeks, marinas and several tributaries.

When the scales closed, the Leaderboard foretold a tough day along main river weedlines. Six of the thirty-five teams managed to secure a 5-bass limit, while eleven teams registered zeros. Connecticut’s EJ Cusano carried only one largemouth to the scales, but his 3.85 lb hog, earned him Day#1 Largemouth Lunker honors and a 13th place seating going into Day#2. Massachusetts Team Shea on the other hand carried a 5-bass limit to the scales weighing, 7.25 lbs, netting them a 5th Place standing. “We caught all our bass today by utilizing J & S Jig Heads with a variety of soft plastics,” says Jason Shea.
   

Maine’s Jay Davis and Joe Holland proved why this “Duo” is always a threat to win! Davis and Holland claimed the Day#1 Lunker Smallmouth title with three Bronzeback triplets that set the crowd on fire when their largest smallmouth tipped the scales at 2.90 lbs. Accompanied with two solid largemouth’s, Davis and Holland’s limit claimed the Day#1 top seed registering 10.18 lbs.   
   

Massachusetts’s Chris Blais and partner Dave Dardanelle’s 5-bass limit weighted 9.06 lbs. “We actually had to leave our area, we caught almost two-limits but they were all the same size,” revealed Blais. Blais and Dardanelle said Reaction Strike crankbaits, Grizz Baits spinnerbaits and Mega Strike Mega Sticks embedded on weightless Moaner swimbait hooks were their baits of choice. (www.Moanerhooks.com, www.MegaStrike.com, www.GrizzBaits.net)

Rounding out the Top-3 Teams with 8.74 lbs. Tim and Brian Joyce anchored their 5-bass limit with a 3.39 lb Ct. River largemouth. Going into Day#2 only .32 lbs behind Blais and Dardanelle, Team Joyce looked forward to their Day#2 first flight. “We caught several bass early on spinnerbaits and our weedbeds are loaded with baitfish. Getting there first tomorrow will increase our chances of a big bag!”

Massachusetts’s Divisional Champions Bruce and Chris Dyer, idled in fourteenth place, however they held a 3.49 lb lead over Connecticut’s Divisional Champions Team Netolicky in a battle for the Regional Divisional Championship trophies.

N.E. Regional Day#2: Connecticut’s Mark Twain’s changing weather cliché, proved to be right on target as teams having breakfast at the Clarion host motel gathered around the TV listening to the weather channel. Slight winds 5-10 mph, party cloudy skies and warmer air temperatures, kicked started teams enthusiasm as they made their way to Hartford’s Riverside Park.

That enthusiasm was washed to sea, when teams were greeted with high water conditions making launching at Riverside Park impossible. Quickly moving to their tentative back-up plan tournament officials inspected the East Hartford, Charter Oak, and Bissell Bridge launch areas. Upon their return tournament officials informed the Regional Contenders, the launch and weigh-in would be moved north to the Bissell Bridge ramp.
   

 Hartford Marine Police estimated the Connecticut Rivers level came up at least six feet over night due to the opening of dams in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Park Rangers were totally surprised to the sudden increase in water level, stating the area had not received rain for about 5-6 days?
    

With an additional thirty-minutes added to each flight, the majority of teams headed south targeting largemouth backwater sloughs, and flooded areas. “Fall patterns call for concentrating on backwaters and creeks, as the majority of baitfish move into these holding areas, and the bass follow them from the main river,” claims USA Marine Nitro Pro Staffer Gary Walker. Adding with a wry smile, “I’m sure with this high water level many teams will be venturing into Kinney Cove, Weathersfield Cove, White Oaks and a few of the smaller creeks with backwater ponds and sloughs.”

Walker’s prediction was indeed the winning pattern! Teams with patience and persistence made the correct adjustments, while others let the high water conditions control their destiny. Only four limits made it to the scales, fifteen teams registered zeros, and the largemouth count outdistanced the smallmouth count 45-1. Yet anglers, family members and fishing fans would witness some of the largest limits and individual bass brought to the scales!

Massachusetts’s Al Gagliarducci and Andy Chase’s 5-bass limit totaling 16.51 lbs; anchored with a 4.29 lb largemouth catapulted the Day#1 twelfth place team into first place. Claiming the New England 2-Day Regional Championship with a total weight of 20.42 lbs, Chase acknowledged he and ‘Gag’s’ caught all their keeper bass in an eighteen minute feeding frenzy. “Al was flipping the wood and I was tossing a spinnerbait on an incoming tide, suddenly a group of feeding largemouth’s were all over my spinnerbait. We both made six to eight cast with our spinnerbaits, landed all of these bass and the frenzy stopped.

While ‘Gag’s and Chase claimed the grand prize Tracker Boat, Trailer, Exide Battery, Water Snake TM and accessories, along with a handsome $1,300.00 payday. Jim Kuca and Billy ‘The Brick’ Bechard were one of only two teams to carry a 5-bass limit to the scales both days, giving the Connecticut Team a total of 19.71 lbs and a second place finish! “We kept off the main river and targeted largemouth’s both days, by flipping jigs along deeper weedlines and running white/chartreuse spinnerbaits over and around heavy cover,” revealed Kuca.

Only .42 lbs out of second place, Reynolds Marine Pro Staffers Chris Parker and Abe Kaechman settled for a third place finish and the Day#2 5.74 lb Lunker Largemouth. “We were literally in the flood trees, as far back as possible and many times out of sight of all the other anglers in Kinney Cove,” claims Parker. Kaechman and Parker utilized only one-bait a Re-Cap hand tied 5/8 oz green/pumpkin jig. “This jig is the ‘Best Jig in Connecticut’ period and can only be found at the Crystal Lake Tackle Shop………call them at 1.860.875.3773 and tell them you want “Abe’s Re-Cap Jig’!”

Payouts went to seven places, and eleven teams qualified for the Nitro Classic. Additional trophies provided by Trantolo Law Firm (www.TrantoloLaw.com) and prizes were awarded for the Top Adult/Youth Team, Smallmouth Lunker and Largemouth Lunker for each day, largest 5-Bass Limit, Top Male/Female Team, Divisional Champs (Bruce and Chris Dyer) and Regional Champions.
For complete weigh-in details and N.E. Regional standings look under the Regional section for Maine.