Congamond Lk 4/23/2011
Rainy skies and cold temperatures greeted the NEPVA anglers and Boat Captains to start off this year’s tournament trail. The goals of the day were surviving the cold and rain, avoiding getting voted off the water and being tough enough to make it to the weigh in and take the 1st place title.
The Congamond State launch is an ideal location for the NEPVA tournament. Being a Handicap accessible facility, it allows wheelchair anglers to move around the entire area on their own unobstructed. As an added bonus for wheelchair anglers interested in fishing from shore, there is a handicap fishing pier that extends over 200 feet into the lake. The pier provides excellent fishing opportunities for the disabled.
The cold and rain turned the tournament into more of a “Survivor” show with the air temp sitting at 38 degrees with steady light rain and water temps in the high 40’s. Dunkin Donut’s Coffee and Donuts were enjoyed during the morning registration and the pairing up of teams. Volunteers and boat captains then loaded the anglers into the boats as the tournament got underway with a short briefing by Tiny Lafontaine and Jim Marino.
With the main lake sitting at 49 degrees the anglers went out looking for warmer water in the many shallow coves hoping that the bigger fish stayed around and hunkered down in the grass and weeds for the day.
The weigh-in went smoothly as all the boats returned safely; a bit cold and wet but with lots of smiles and the usual bit about” the one that got away”. During the weigh in all the anglers were given commemorative tee shirts and fishing towels, hot coffee, soda, water chips and All American grinder’s by Jimmy’s Pizza.
Taking 3rd place was the team of Steve Deguizis and Jim Wallack with 2 fish for 4.03 lbs
Taking 2ed place was the team of Adam Barry and Larry Harris with 3 fish for a total weight of 5.00 lbs
1st place went to the team of Scott Arris and Anthony Renaldi with 4 largemouth for a total of 10.28 lbs. which included the Lunker of the day of 3.25 lbs caught by Anthony Renaldi.
We would like to thank the following sponsors for attending and helping with the tournament. TARGET of Meriden CT’s Mark Vanwormer which donated water and soda for the trail and Don Upchurch of Coastal Angler Magazine of Western Ma.
The New England Paralyzed Veterans of America (NEPVA) bass trail has come a long way since it started in 2000 on the Charles River in Boston. That day saw a support of 35 boaters from the Mass BASS Federation paired up with disabled anglers from several New England states and some came from as far away as Maryland.
As always the NEPVA bass trail is completely FREE. There are NO ENTRY FEE’s for either the boat captains or the disabled angler’s. The trail has expanded from one tournament a year to a 6 tournaments plus a TOC. The trail starts off in CT. in April then swings north to ME in May and back to MA. in June followed by a July tournament in RI then up to Vermont in August and ends in September in NH with the last tournament and a TOC.
“The trail can’t exist without the support of the Federation boaters both B.A.S.S. and TBF which we rely so heavily on” says Tiny LaFontaine President of the trail. Tiny along with Executive Director Jim Marino, and Directors Bob Soupy Campbell and Gary Clawson and the rest of the American Eagles Bass Club run the trail along with all the fund raising and sponsorships they can get.
The trail directors would like to thank the following sponsors, without them this tournament would not be able to function: The Bass Federation of Ct, Coastal Angler Magazine, Northern Bass Supply, GE Good Neighbors Fund, Skeeter Boats, Milton CAT, Ride Away, Larry’s Woodcraft, Nam Knights, and Marine USA of Worc.
All NEPVA Bass Trail Tournaments are totally FREE to ALL participates and open to all individuals with disabilities whether veterans or non-veterans! Individuals interested in fishing the tournaments may contact Tournament Director Tiny LaFontaine @ 1.781.935.2480. As a non-profit organization the tournament trail is funded only by generous donations from its sponsors, with all sponsor donations being tax deductible. For information on becoming an NEPVA sponsor, contact the NEPVA office @ 1.800.660.1181 or visit their web site www.nepva.org.
Article by Jim Marino
Photos by Bob Abbott
