The New Hampshire BASS Federation held its two day State
Championship on September 7 and
8, 2002 on Lake Champlain. The
event drew a record number of
144 competitors to the launch
facility at Apple Tree Resort
in South Hero, Vermont. The field
was comprised of the top finishers
from the 22 clubs in the New Hampshire
Federation. As the boats eased
out of the Apple Tree Marina for
take-off on Day One, the anglers
were greeted with 10-15 MPH South
winds that whipped up 3 footers
in the Inland Sea. As the day
wore on, the sun blasted competitors
as the mercury rose to over 90
degrees in the Champlain Valley.
As the flights began to check
in for the afternoon weigh-in,
it was apparent that the heat-wave
had dampened the enthusiasm of
the bass and the warming lake
temperatures (70-72 degrees) had
temporarily put the fall feed
on hold. Many competitors expressed
frustration at the tougher then
expected fishing conditions. But
as always, someone always figures
them out and overall a number
of quality fish were weighed in.
Setting the pace on Day One was
none other then hard working Federation
President Rob Frye who weighed
in a mixed bag of bass that topped
the scales at 18.03 lbs. Included
in his catch was the lunker largemouth
of the tournament at 5.36 lbs.
Second place was held by Joe Lucarelli
of Winni'g Anglers with an impressive
bag of smallies that stretched
the scales to 17.67 lbs. The top
12 cut for the first day was 13.66
lbs. When all of the boats had
weighed their catch, the competitors
headed across the street for the
outdoor BBQ that was sponsored
by Mepps/Mister Twister and Red
Bull.
Sunday, the final day, dawned
warm and breezy as the first flight
checked out at 6:00 a.m. The weather
conditions for day 2 mirrored
the first day, but featured even
stronger South winds and the temperatures
soared into the mid-nineties with
bright sunshine. Tougher then
expected fishing was again the
word on Day 2. As the first flight
began to weigh-in at 2:00 p.m.
it was clear that the leader board
would be shaken as many of the
top 12 stumbled. When the scales
stopped spinning, the NH BASS
Federation crowned its State Champion
for 2002. Rob Frye checked in
with another impressive bag weighing
15.58 lbs. and cruised to his
first ever State Title and his
first Regional appearance. Rob
caught his fish on Day One by
working an emerald shiner colored
Ambush Pop-A-Long top-water bait
over a rocky point. He then started
a largemouth milk run looking
to get a kicker fish. He boated
nearly 30 keepers and his 5.36
lb. lunker largemouth fell for
a green pumpkin Exude Fat Tube
filled with Mister Twister Erupt.
Most of his largemouth spots consisted
of milfoil patches in 3 to 6 feet
of water. On Day Two, Rob started
on a windblown point and had a
limit in 45 minutes by throwing
a white/chartreuse 3/8 oz. Strike-On
Spinnerbait. He then went back
on his milk-run catching 20 keepers
and culling to his final weight.
Rob worked hard to find these
fish in practice, and it paid
off big-time with his first ever
Championship.
Finishing in second place and
earning his second trip to the
Eastern Regional was Danny Peckham
from the Monadnock Bass Masters.
Danny reported catching 12 to
15 keepers each day of the tournament,
all from the same spot. He was
working a sand/gravel break-line
with a carolina-rigged 6-inch
watermelon Zoom lizard. All of
Danny's bass were smallmouth,
and his total weight was 30.12
lbs. and included the day one
lunker smallie at 4.43 lbs.
After fishing with Danny Peckham
the first day, Robert Hurst of
Bubba Bassin' Club and Goffstown
NH was sitting in sixth place.
Hurst, a noted largemouth fisherman
proved equally adept at catching
smallmouth bass as he checked
in with 13.22 lbs. on Sunday to
make his second straight State
Team. He carolina-rigged a 6 inch
watermelon Zoom Lizard along an
18-20 break-line to catch his
fish. Hurst's 2 day total of 9
bass weighed 28.40 lbs.
Finishing in fourth place and
earning his twelfth trip to Regionals
is Federation Vice President Dave
Andrews from the Back Bay Bassmasters.
Dave caught consistent bags of
mostly smallmouth bass and finished
with a total weight of 27.88 lbs.
Andrews worked various kinds of
jerkbaits over scattered grass
flats in 8-14 feet of water to
get his limit each day. The Triton
sponsored angler reported making
long runs and rotating between
a few key areas to catch his fish.
Jim Hanatow from Alstead NH and
the Monadnock Bass Masters claimed
fifth place with a two-day total
of 27.25 lbs. The Skeeter boats
angler came from back in the pack
on day two with a 15.42 lb. bag
of smallies to make his second
straight State Team. Hanatow worked
shallow grasslines with a Carolina-rigged
Zoom Lizard to catch his smallmouth
bass on Saturday, but moved out
to the 20-foot zone on Sunday
to catch his big limit.
Scott Leppanen from Byfield Massachusetts
also made a big move on Sunday
by catching one of the biggest
Day Two limits of the tournament.
The Back Bay Bassmasters member
weighed 15.62 lbs. on Sunday to
vault from nowhere into sixth
place. Leppanen will be making
his fifth trip to the Regional
Championship by virtue of his
26.47 lb. effort. Scott's improbable
comeback was not easy and would
not have been possible without
the help of fellow competitor
Steve May who loaned Scott his
boat after falling out of contention
on Day One. Scott also wishes
to thank his partner Kurt Damery
for his support and encouragement.
Leppanen targeted smallmouth bass
that were holding on the inside
edge of a weed/rock flat. His
primary bait was a bone colored
Lucky Craft Pointer Minnow.
Mark Miner from the NH Bass Addicts
placed seventh with a total weight
of 25.21 lbs. Miner made a long
run south and checked in with
all largemouth bass. The Lyndeborough
NH resident caught his limit each
day by flippin' a jig and pig
into dock slips that had heavy
weed growth nearby. Miner's Day
One limit of 16.16 lbs. put him
in third place, but his bigger
fish would not bite on Sunday.
Miner will be making his first
trip to BASS Regionals.
John Breen from the Castaways
caught 9 smallmouth bass for 25.39
lbs. to finish eighth. A former
BASS National Finalist, Breen
will be making his fourth trip
to the Regional. During practice,
John drove over an unmarked hump,
doubled back, and proceeded to
catch two 5 lb. smallies off the
spot. Using his GPS to navigate
him back to his spot, Breen used
a Carolina-rigged 6 inch watermelon
Zoom Lizard to catch most of his
fish. The hump featured light
weed growth and most of his bites
came from the 30 foot zone.
Federation newcomer and Stratos
Boats Angler Joe Lucarelli from
Meredith New Hampshire placed
ninth with 24.39 lbs. Joe targeted
smallmouth bass and caught most
of his fish on a Lucky Craft Pointer
Minnow. He worked rock/weed flats
in a 14-16 foot depth range. This
will be his first trip to the
Championship.
Finishing in tenth place and
making the most improbable comeback
of the tournament was Contoocook
Valley Angler Bill Vierzen. Vierzen
fished a Zoom Little Craw in Pumpkin
color on a carolina-rig on day
one to catch 3 bass for 7.69 lbs.
On Day Two, he checked in the
biggest limit of the day featuring
5 beautiful smallmouth bass that
weighed 16.60 lbs. and vaulted
him into contention. Vierzen,
fishing his first STQT, utilized
a Lucky Craft Jerkbait to catch
his big limit. He fished the jerkbait
over scattered rock/weed flats
in 8-16 feet of water.
Allan Denise of Windham Hill
Bass Anglers finished eleventh
with a total of 24.01 lbs. A Former
two time Nationals finalist, Denise
will be making his seventh trip
to Regionals on the strength of
a big first day. Denise caught
15.82 lbs. of smallmouth bass
on Day One, then hung on to make
the team. Denise caught most of
his fish on a Yamamota Hula Grub
cast to a rocky flat in 8-10 feet
of water.
Dave LeBlanc of Springfield NH
and the Contoocook Valley Anglers
finished twelfth with a total
of 23.90 lbs. LeBlanc caught mostly
smallmouth bass by fishing a gold
colored Renegade Spinnerbait along
a rocky ledge in 3 to 6 feet of
water. LeBlanc will be making
his first trip to the Regional
Championship.
Finishing in thirteenth place
and qualifying for his first State
Team as the Alternate is Stratos
Boats Pro Steve Lucarelli of Meredith
NH. Steve caught 10 smallmouth
bass that weighed 23.75 lbs. He
rotated between a Lucky Craft
Jerkbait and a green pumpkin Yamamota
Hula Grub fished on a ¾
oz. Football head. Steve caught
his final keeper each day on the
Hula Grub on the famous "last
cast". His late minute heroics
enabled him to join his son, Joe
on the State Team. This is the
first ever Father/Son to qualify
for a New Hampshire Team.
Saturday Lunker Largemouth: Rob
Frye: 5.36 lbs.
Saturday Lunker Smallmouth: Danny
Peckham: 4.43 lbs.
Sunday Lunker Largemouth: Bruce
Acox: 4.27 lbs.
Sunday Lunker Smallmouth: Gary
Jackson: 4.68 lbs.
Considering the heatwave, the
tournament staff did an amazing
job at keeping fish mortality
to a minimum. The tournament staff
passed out needles and instructions
for fizzing bass to all competitors
at registration. Also, an intricate
system of aerated tanks that were
continuously iced down kept the
bass healthy during the weigh-in
process. Overall, 741 bass were
weighed in during the event with
only 16 dead fish. Total weight
for the tournament was 1621.79
lbs.
Tournament Director Jim Orrok
and President Rob Frye and the
entire staff did an outstanding
job in running this event. Special
thanks go out to all our sponsors:
Red Bull, The Alliance (Triton
Boats/Mercury Outboards, Skeeter
Boats/Yamaha Outboards), Strike-On,
Pennzoil Marine, Quantam/Motorguide,
Lowrance Electronics, Flowmaster,
Berkley Powerbait, Citgo, Chevy,
Kumho Tires, Eagle Claw, Armstrong
Tools, Northern BASS Supply, Keep
Alive, Mepps/Mister Twister, Back
Bay Boat -n- Sled, Lucky Craft,
Luhr Jenson, Stealth Stik, Plano
Molding Company, Zylas.
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