Official Rally recap

[Rob LaMoy]

Well, what can I say. The rally rocked! Lake Champlain showed her colors this weekend and so did the participants. LOL Food was excellent all weekend, we had a first class BBQ on....well actually we had a BBQ every night! Thursday at my house with Mac and Ken, who were reportedly and are now confirmed-"better than crack", Mike, Marke, Ron and his family. Friday night was fun at the 'helm, but I was NOT as Jamey put it "half drunk and denying it". LOL Friday's fishing was under blue bird skies with a very light breeze. Unfortunately, the bass were taking in the warmth too and didn't bite all too well. Saturday morning brought Lake Champlain in all her splendor with south winds at 20-25 mph and 3-4 whitecaps that were the root cause for me breaking a Minn Kota Genesis on Buzz's boat. OUCH! What a guy though, he would NOT take any money for repairs and barley let me give him gas money! Thanks again Buzz! Saturday's tourney weigh-in was accompanied by Jordan, a Nitro national team PRO! What a guy. Also watching on from his boat on the edge was Basil Bacon. Weights were as follows.



54 bass weighed in ALL alive, a testament to Nitro livewells and angler awareness

3rd Place with 14.07 lbs went to Eric Barker and Bill Kooi

2nd Place with 14.25 lbs went to Doug Ward and Mike Corbeil

1st Place with 15.40 lbs went to Marke Cicero and Rob LaMoy

Big Bass at 3.99 was Rob LaMoy



Sunday brought back the blue bird skies and light wind. Boat traffic however still brought up to the occasional 3 foot swell, but the lake was much calmer. Unfortunately many contestants gracefully bowed out as they had long drives home, so the field was cut dramatically from 13 boats to 7. 53 bass were weighed and only 1 dead.

3rd place with 11.11 lbs went to Rob LaMoy

2nd place with 11.43 lbs went to Mike Ohearn

1st place with 12.28 lbs went to Eric Barker

Big Bass at 3.75 lbs went to Eric Barker

Unfortunately, somehow in the course of the weekend I lost the big bass trophy for Sunday and was unable to present to Eric at the weigh in. Apologies again Eric, I will be mailing you one this week. Eric was a serious competitor all weekend and made his purty white 901 shine all weekend.

Multi-species on Saturday was won by Jim Moore with a 5.74 lb northern pike.

Jim's Avalanche was something to behold. It handled awesome. The hole shot was phenomonal and it hugged the water in a turn like a german made sportscar! Thanks again Jim for letting us take it for a ride.

Again, thanks to everyone who contributed. Thanks to all the participants and thanks to the board for allowing me to host the event. It was a blast and I look forward to next year's somewhere ELSE! LOL I was so whipped last night I fell asleep at 7:00. In fact I slept half the morning in Buzz's boat on Sunday! Hope everyone got home safely and PLEASE send me some pics for my album, as I was too busy to take any and I promised some to Jackie at Tracker. Now, go ahead and let me have it! LOL

 

[Bill McElroy]

You and Pierre did a GREAT job!! Next years' suckers (I mean Volunteers) will have a big challenge ahead of them to top that!! Looks like you lucked out on sunday's weather too........Ken and I got a later than expected start,.....wanted to leave by 8am, but after packing up, running to the ramp to drop off Buzz's rods,.....stopping to eat brkfst and gas up,..we finally got started at 10;30am. Home at 9pm!

Spent an hour at the Blue Water bridge in Port Huron,......guess we don't trust those wiley Canadians coming in!! LOL....Getting into Canada was faster than trying to get HOME!!! ahahahah...I did have to laugh at the toll taker on the canadian side of the bridge,..she had never seen a bass boat (duh!!)

she asked me if it was a boat or some sort of "water scooter"......I said,..."Yes,..it's a Bass Boat,...it'll scooter us across the water at 65mph!!"...ohwell....atleast she didn't confiscate our last 2 leftover corona's!! LOL.........Again...thanks for hosting the 2002 Rally. It was GREAT to finally put faces to all the "alias's" that have been posting here for 2 years,...what a GREAT bunch of guys!!! Proud to be part of them!! (Man I'm tired today!!!.....sure hope the Wings get a 6-0 lead by 9pm tonite so i can go to bed at a decent time!!)

Regards,

Mac



Pierre,....I wa sorry I didn't see you and Dan before you left,...but THANKS for the Bradours'....they hit the spot!! Come on over to our sode of the pond,.....I owe you!!! Take care buddy!!

 

[Pierre Voisine]

Mac,



First,



I did very little...the success of this thing is on on ROB...CUDOS BIG GUY!!



We had engine troubles and left the lake around 9:30 10....did you cross over in Cornwall. 'Cause that blond would've just seen me go by....imagine!!



We had a blast and yes we'll make it out to your end soon.



Was great to meet all of you!



Pierre

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Man, board is slow today. I thought for sure, somebody would have something to add!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

It occurred to me that some of you may not know Jordan's last name sorry. It is Jordan Paullo. Thanks again Jordan!

 

[Bill McElroy]

We'll add more as we wake up!!!!......now let me sleep!!!! LOL

 

[Rob LaMoy]

I can't sleep. Back hurts too much from getting pummelled on Saturday! Might as well keep you awake too! LOL

 

[gone bye bye]

Gee looks like the weights were down....unless this is proof positive that Champlain isnt a "great" lake.....just kidding. Good job to all that made it, and great job to you Rob for being a good host! Still wish I could have been in two places instead of one....



BTW Rob, it took 30+ pounds (7 fish) to win each day this past weekend. 6 pounder for big bass each day.....and this wasnt St. Clair!



But some guys took loooonnnngggg runs to get their fish. If you look at a map of Michigan and see two kidney shaped lakes just south of the Macinaw Bridge, those were the tournament lakes. Where I75 crosses between them was the launch. I know of one boat that went to the Upper Penninsula to catch their fish, he had 28.75 pounds on 7 fish and one was a "sqeaker" 14.25 inch fish....dem are some TOADS!!!!



Mini

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Mini, I don't know what happened. When Mike and Marke were up a month ago, they were all 3-4 lbs! Steady. Marke and Marke's scale can attest. But we usually get some 5-6 lbers in local tourneys. Keep in mind, there were 4 other tourneys that all launched before us each day, and the water I was fishing had been picked by at least a dozen other boats. Marke and I were regularly cut off by Rangers and Champions and Skeeters in our drift pattern. Too bad, cause I never saw a one of them pull any quality fish. Anyway, there here. You come over some time and we'll pound 'em!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Oh and we did it WITHOUT a TM! Had I been able to keep boat position....wellll....

 

[gone bye bye]

I hear you Rob, I know about trolling motor problems from rough water. I was just razzing you....I cannot wait to get to Champlain. I will definately look you up before I go.

Mini

 

[SCOTT GARDNER]

Is that it!!!!!!! We want more...... more i say

 

[TrepMan]

I'm with Scott G - MORE.



Where's the description of who dressed the worst? Who caught only their partners ear? Who has the worst hair cut? Where did the wife and kiddies go and do??



We're all just waiting with baited breath, TELL TELL TELL...

 

[SCOTT GARDNER]

Come on guy make up something if u need to.



lol

 

[SCOTT GARDNER]

Come on guys make up something if u need to.



lol

 

[Jon Puhalski]

I know Tom Mac has a tear in his old Nitro hat from his partner and a set of trebles. HAHA!

My partner on Saturday was EXTREMLEY hung over and doing strange things in the back of the boat all day on Saturday in the 4 foot seas. Kind of scary fishing by yourself out in the damn Atlantic Ocean.



How's that for a teaser?

 

[stan jones]

well,what were they biting. i was up there sunday,south of otter creek and caught a lot of pike. and got bit off a lot. just a couple of small 8 in. bass. the bass came on tube baits. a lot of bass boats all over the place. one red and black nitro came by about 1 o-clock going north and flying. i don't know if he was in the rally. my tourn is fri.thru sun(club)thanks stan.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Stan, none of us were that far south. As far as little hiccups, ask Neeley how to cull? LOL Or count! Hey Neeley, seen a trophy anywhere???????LOL You wait until next year man. I have a whole year to think up some stuff to get you back! Hey any engineers out there want to figure out how to pump Pierre's body cooler suit with black ink or something? Motor trouble, HAH, he was too hung over to fish! LOL

 

[Pierre Voisine]

Hung over ?!?!? I'm Canadian...that's what we do best is drink. my brother was sleeping in the boat all morning though...but only because he hates to wake up before noon...Actually rob last night I figured out how to pump beer throught the suit with an outlet at the collar...anybody interested ? I don't think it'l last as long though...might run out of liquids.



pierre

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Then you need to adapt the suit to also drain your bladder. Free up your hands and more time to fish, cross eyed.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

We had gifts for the oldest and newest Nitros courtesy on Ken. newest went to Mike Ohearn with a SWEET 929 Patriot. Coincidentally, there was a limited edition full size pickup also staying at the 'helm, can't recall the make, but it was a patriot them as well with perfect matching color scheme for Mike's boat. What a rig! Oldest was I believe Jon's '90 TF. Brian and Rick got some "boobie" prizes for bringing in the smallest weight. They got a bass casting target and a TV version of the "real bass fishing" hand held game. For driving the furthest, Ken got a 7'6" telescoping St.Croix pitching rod. Numerous other gifts were handed out including, a berkley spooling station, BPS 96 pc tube kits, assorted tackle bags, weigh scales, t-shirts, and hats, and key chains, and much more. So if you missed it, shame on you! LOL Better make it to next years. If it's withing 12 hours drive, and doesn't conflict with my schedule, I'm there! We will wait until the pics are posted and let you all draw your own conclusions.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Sorry, St; Croix rods were courtesy of Buzz Bouvier

 

[Ken Neeley]

I just have one word to say....

thesecondannualtracker/nitroownersrallyrocked!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pierre Voisine]

neely is my hero!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

Hey Ken, do you have a contact for me to send back one of my AllStar rods. I had an eye break off, and want them to fix it. If they pay the freight that is! If not, it's cheaper for me to do it myself!