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Catch-Measure-Release for Veterans By Bill Decoteau |
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Bass Tournament pics
Maine Bass Tournament Results |
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“There is no doubt had it not been for
the dedicated efforts of both federations, we would not have had enough
Boat Captains for all of our Boater Division NEPVA Anglers,” says Tiny
LaFontaine tournament Director for the NEPVA Bass Trail. Twenty-one New
England PVA anglers were paired with Boat Captains in the Boater
Division, while another three New England PVA Anglers signed-up for the
Bank/Pontoon Division. Thanks to some assistance from Ride-Away
Handicap Equipment’s Barry Linder, (www.ride-away.com), Steve Wilson
President of the Maine BASS Federation Nation teamed with John Trask
Vice President of the Maine TBF and many other volunteers, every New
England Paralyzed Veteran Angler was safely loaded and later unloaded
from their partners’ bass boats, including those competing in the
Bank/Pontoon Division.
Utilizing a total overall inch measurement verses a total weight for their five bass limits, (Boat Captains max of 3-bass/NEPVA Anglers must catch at least 2-bass), teams seemed quite intent teasing one another as they patiently waited for their names to be called to the weigh-in leaders board set-up in the Pine Tree Camp dinning hall. Surrounded by sponsors’ banners, anglers echoed fish tales netted with good-ole heckling, as the aroma of double-decker hamburgers filled the air. With the leaders’ board changing hands as quickly as a North Pond Trophy Northern Pike steals a spinnerbait, it finally leveled out when TBF Vice President John Trask and NEPVA Angler Michael Zapolski’s 84-inches claimed the Leaders position by one inch over Maine’s Jason Mitsin and Maine NEPVA Angler Don Candage! “Folks we only have two more teams to reveal their totals, Boat Captain Rusty Buss paired with NEPVA Champion Angler Laurie Oaks, and longtime NEPVA Boat Captain Dwayne Turnage paired with Marine Corp NEPVA Angler Jimmie Loupe,” announced LaFontaine. The luck of the draw called Buss and Oaks to the weigh-in board first. Wearing smiles stretching from ear-to-ear the team revealed their tallied measurement. “You’re not going to believe this we have a tie for first place…………..84-inches for Captain Rusty Buss and NEPVA Angler Laurie Oakes!”
“We have another 5-bass limit, with four-bass of their limit being caught by NEPVA Angler Jimmie Loupe, giving the Pine Tree North Pond Championship title to…….(pausing for brief moment)……….Maine Boat Captain and NEPVA Angler….. Dwayne Turnage and Jimmie Loupe,” announced LaFontaine to the standing ovation, wheelchair spins, whistles and cheers presented by the audience to the winning team. During the awards ceremony, anglers, volunteers and family members enjoyed a wonderful dinner, all part of the Totally Free NEPVA Bass Trail event. Starting with the Bank/Pontoon Division NEPVA Angler Julie Conkright claimed the ‘Most Fish Caught’ title as well as the “Big Fish” title with her 16-inch smallmouth bass! Volunteering in his fourth annual Pine Tree NEPVA Bass Trail event, Boat Captain Dwayne Turnage replayed his Teams North Pond Championship strategy. “I threw spinnerbaits and flukes for active bass, while Jimmie dragged Senko’s and tubes.” The team secured their 5-bass limit by 9:30am, and then continued to cull bass all day long. Thanks to product donations from Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits (www.baits.com), Power Pro fishing line (www.powerpro.com), Shakespeare Rod/Reels (www.shakespeare-fishing.com), Harmonic Rod/Reel (www.reeltimedesigns.com), Popeye Bait (www.popeyebait.com), Jack Roy and Trojan Battery, New England’s Strongest and Best Bass Boat Batteries (www.northeastbattery.com) NEPVA Anglers and Boat Captain alike enjoyed some awesome prizes! Especially NEPVA Angler John Walls winner of the Conversion Products, Inc. Rocking Chair, presented by Conversion Products Boat Captain Michael Guy Neveux. (www.conversionproducts.com) Ride Away Handicap Equipment of Maine’s
Barry Linder was elated to present the New England PVA Bass Trail a
check for $500.00 as a token of their appreciation and support to help
off-set the Bass Trails expenses. With a huge smile on his face and a
tear in his eye NEPVA Bass Trail Tournament Director Tiny LaFontaine
replied, “This check for $500 from Ride Away will help tremendously to
off set our expenses for this tournament alone! I can not express how
important these monetary contributions mean to the existence of the
NEPVA Bass Trail…Thank you so much!” 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.
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As a totally Handicap accessible facility
Pine Tree Camp caters to wheelchair anglers, allowing them to move
around the entire area on their own unobstructed. Pine Tree Camp is an
ideal location for the New England Paralyzed Veterans of America Bass
Tournament format. With an added bonus for the NEPVA Bass Anglers, Pine
Tree has a huge boat dock area, pontoon boats plus a newly constructed
handicap fishing pier. (
“We have some very exciting coverage on
the water; and it is amassing as to the ability of these paralyzed
anglers when it comes to adjusting their casting techniques around their
individual disabilities. Their positive attitudes far outweigh their
physical handicaps, while their sportsmanship is certainly a role-model
example for all anglers,” replied Northwoods Sporting Journal Television
cameraman John Ward. North Pond’s smallmouth population seemed to out
number their green cousin largemouths, as most teams reported measuring
bronzebacks during their Catch-Measure-Release tallies! “This is a
totally different concept than we are use to,” said Bob Soupy Campbell a
member of the NEPVA Tournament Committee. Adding with a chuckle, “It
will be very interesting to see how our NEPVA Anglers respond to talking
about their bass instead of holding them up for bragging rights?”
Reviewing the length of each team’s
individual bass, the tournament committee declared Buss and Oakes the
new leader due to their Lunker winning 20-inch bass. Calling Captain
John Trask and NEPVA Angler Michael Zapolski back to the leaders’ board,
LaFontaine then called the only remaining team to reveal their total
length tally. Framed with Poker Faces, Captain Dwayne Turnage and
partner New York’s Jimmie Loupe handed LaFontaine their tallied score.