Lake Winnipesaukee

Article by Jim Marino 

September 10, 2011

NEPVA Bass Tournament

Camp Robindel, Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

    The last stop on the 2011 NEPVA Bass Trail found us on Lake Winnipesaukee in the beautiful state of New Hampshire. Camp Robindel once again is the site for this year- ending tournament, the TOC scheduled for the next day was canceled due to lack of qualified boat captains.  

    While Laurie and Bob (Soupy) Campbell took care of Friday’s  registration and  went over the pairings for the next day’s fishing a evening meal of Burgers, dogs, fries, mac&cheese, tossed salad, was put together by the kitchen crew of Jim Marino and Bill Thompson with the help of some of the Nam Knights. A specially made Strawberry short cake, with whipped cream icing for desert was made and donated by the cooks and staff at the Edgewood Retirement Community in North Andover.

    The next morning after breakfast and a moment of silence, the pairings were announced by NEPVA Tournament President Tiny LaFontaine, Laurie Campbell handed out boat numbers and Soupy made sure the paired teams got to the loading docks with their box lunches, cold drinks, etc.

    Outside at the docks, they were greeted with choppy waters and partially overcast skies.  After a moment of silence and the National Anthem, The Nam Knights Motorcycle Club of America ran their wheelchair valet service escorting NEPVA Anglers to their partner's boats, and gently placing each disabled angler comfortably into their assigned boat for a day on the water.  Numerous Nam Knight volunteers labeled and numbered each wheelchair to match each angler's boat number for easy reference come weigh-in time, parking the chairs neatly near the docks. The weatherman predicted a 30% chance of rain but it didn’t dampen the spirits of those going out on the water as all were in place and the docks were empty by 8 o’clock. The bank/pontoon division was the last to take off with their volunteer support group and other wheelchair bound NEPVA anglers.

    After a hearty lunch the remaining volunteers and NEPVA staff set up the weigh-in area for the 2 o’clock weigh-in under sunny skies as it was turning into a nice day. As the 2:00pm weigh-in time approached, Dock-Talk rumors spread as to many limits coming to the scales. "Our Bank Division anglers went out on a pontoon boat and will be the first anglers to register their creels. These anglers are allowed to use live bait and any species fish caught counts," announced NEPVA Tournament Director Tiny LaFontaine. "Normally they do not weigh-in their fish, our Bank Division volunteers keep track of each angler's total fish count making note of the angler with the largest fish."

    All boats returned safely and waited their turn to weigh in their fish. Out of a total of 20 boats, 10, 5 fish limits were brought to the scales, with the leader board constantly changing as each limit team weighed in. After weighing in their fish the anglers went about straightening out their gear and looked forward to the results at the banquet.

   Promptly at 6PM an Italian style buffet was served followed by the awards ceremony and each team being called up to get there goodie bags, commemorative NEPVA tee shirts & towels.  After the awards were handed out there was a huge raffle by the Nam Nights, and fireworks at the at the H dock.

Tournament results:

    The Pontoon award was given out to Justin Coward who just eked out the win over Alec O’Brien by inches.

    3^rd place went to Boat Captain Adam Barry of Ct. and NEPVA angler Ray Francis with a 5 fish limit of 9.82 lbs. Adam and Ray fished several areas that contained weed, gravel, and a grass beds, they caught lots of fish but could not connect on that size that Adam had been getting in practice.  

    2^nd place went to Boat Captain Paul Gelinas of NH and NEPVA angler Steve Carpenter with 5 fish for 9.85 lbs.

    Reeling in 1^st place was the team of Boat Captain Rob Ramasci and NEPVA angler Nathan McEleney with 5 fish for a weight of 10.15. Rob is the son of Jerry Ramasci who is the Mass Fed Nation Youth director, Rob is off to the Divisional Tournament in VT next week and will represent Mass in his division of the B.A.S.S. youth tournament on Lake Champlain.  Nathan  is fishing the  tournament trail this year for the second time and now has a First place trophy to go along with his two Thirds and a Second that he got in last year’s tournament trail. Nathan has shown that with patience and the right tackle he will be the angler to watch on next year’s trail.  Rob and Nathan caught their fish on Yamamoto Senco’s, drop shot worms, and crank baits in 6-23 foot depth.

    The trail directors would like to thank the following sponsors, without them this tournament would not be able to function: The Bass Federation of NH, The BASS Federation Nation of NH,  & Ma., Ann & Nat Greenfield along with the Staff at Camp Robindel, Milton CAT, GE Aviations Employee’s Good Neighbors Fund,  Harmonix Rods & Reels, Skeeter Boats, Nam Knights of New Hampshire, Northern Bass Supply, RIDE-AWAY, JD Septic, Larry’s Woodcraft, THE ANGLER MAGAZINE, TARGET of Meriden CT, The American Legion  Campbell Post 101, and the Edgewood Retirement  Community.