New York’s Steve Pickard Takes Lead On Connecticut River

New York’s Steve Pickard caught 9 pounds, 8 ounces to lead on Day 1 of the Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Divisional on the Connecticut River held out of Hartford, Conn.

New York’s Steve Pickard Takes Lead On Connecticut River

September 16,2015

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HARTFORD, Conn. — Steve Pickard had never fished on the Connecticut River until four days ago, but that didn’t stop him from taking the first-day lead on the river in the 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Divisional.

“When I got here on Saturday, I ran as much water as possible,” said Pickard, of Fulton, N.Y. “I got on a deal on Sunday and started working my way up and down the river to see where it works.”

The “deal” he’s talking about is a pattern he figured out on the waterway that’s really not much different than what other competitors are doing — except for one thing.

“I have one distinguishing feature, one key ingredient,” he said, declining to say what the pattern or the secret tweak is. “That’s what is making the difference.”

It’s no surprise he’s not divulging much information about his tactic. The tournament is in its first day of three, and the winner will likely have only a margin of ounces based on the weights here on the Connecticut River.

Only 12 anglers out of 108 managed to collect limits of five bass in today’s opening round, and the average weight of each bass is a scant 1 pound, 6 ounces. Twenty-three anglers didn’t weigh in a bass.

Pickard, however, got two really good fish that he wasn’t expecting — a 2 1/2-pound largemouth and a 4-pound smallmouth. Those two, added to his three average-size bass, added up to a leading weight of 9 pounds, 8 ounces. Currently, he’s more than a pound up on his closest competitor.

“It will be hard to get another 9 or 10 pounds,” Pickard said. “This river is extremely tough. I’m hoping for a good couple of days. The mornings have been a better bite, as long as the tide is moving.”

Pickard is competing to win the tournament, of course, but he’s also working toward winning the top spot on his team. The best performer from each state B.A.S.S. Nation qualifies for the 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Nov. 5-7, on Louisiana’s Ouachita River. He’s ahead in the New York B.A.S.S. Nation now by 1 pound, 2 ounces. If he can maintain it, he gets an invitation to compete in the championship, and if he wins there, he’ll get to move on to the biggest stage in bass fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro in March 2016.

Other competitors in a position to move on are Alex Wetherell, Connecticut; Mark Desjardin, Maine; George Barnes, Massachusetts; David LeBlanc, New Hampshire; Larry MacPhail, Ontario; Philip Casto, Rhode Island; Cesar Ventura Pecellin Munoz, Spain; and James Knox, Vermont.

Each state is in competition, too. The state whose team members weigh in the heaviest cumulative weight wins a Triton/Mercury boat package valued at $38,000. Pickard’s catch helped propel the New York team into the first-round lead with 52 pounds, 2 ounces. Behind New York are Connecticut with 44-10 and Ontario with 38-11.

The biggest bass brought to the scales so far in the Eastern Divisional is a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass caught by Dave Andrews, who is fishing for the New Hampshire state team.

Competition resumes Thursday. Anglers will take off from Riverside Park at 6:15 a.m. ET, and they’ll weigh in at the park at 2:15 p.m. Keep up with the action at Bassmaster.com.

2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Divisional 9/16-9/18Connecticut River, Hartford  CT.Standings Day 1

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Steven Pickard         Fulton, NY (NY)         5  09-08  02.  Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY (NY)        5  08-06  03.  David LeBlanc          Springfield, NH (NH)    5  08-03  04.  Dave Andrews           Hudson, MA (NH)         3  07-14  05.  Casey Smith            Macedon, NY (NY)        5  07-06  06.  Mark Desjardin         Vassalboro, ME (ME)     4  07-05  07.  Larry MacPhail         Kingston Ontario CANADA 5  06-14  08.  George Barnes          Cambridge, MA (MA)      4  06-09  09.  Cesar Ventura Pecellin Munoz Badajoz SPAIN (ESP)     5  06-05  09.  Charles Sim            Ottawa CANADA (ONT)     5  06-05  09.  Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT (CT)     5  06-05  012. Bob Thornington        Kirkfield ONTARIO CANAD 2  06-04  013. Chris O’Brien          Rochester, NY (NY)      5  06-03  014. Pete Demoya            Plymouth, MA (MA)       5  05-14  014. Reed Johnson           Farmington, CT (CT)     5  05-14  016. George Yund            Albany, NY (NY)         5  05-04  017. Philip Casto           Woonsocket, RI (RI)     2  05-01  018. James Knox             Rutland, VT (VT)        4  04-12  019. Kal Vaisanen           Dundalk ONTARIO CANADA  3  04-12  020. Dino Moutogiannis      Newington, CT (CT)      3  04-10  021. John Fortier           Sanbornton, NH (NH)     4  04-08  022. Edward Kohl            Waterford, CT (CT)      2  04-08  023. John Knowles           Oakdale, CT (CT)        2  04-07  024. Bill Wright            Whiting, VT (VT)        3  04-04  025. Mickey Soler           Newington, CT (CT)      4  04-03  026. Carlos Perez Zamorano  Madrid SPAIN (ESP)      3  04-03  027. Javier Casado Izquierdo Caceres SPAIN (ESP)     3  04-02  028. Lewis Mendall          Wrentham, MA (RI)       2  04-02  029. James Jeffries         Rouses Point, NY (VT)   1  04-02  030. Chris Bielert          Danbury, CT (CT)        3  03-14  031. Chris Adams            Rutland, VT (VT)        3  03-13  032. Skip Sjobeck           Randolph, VT (VT)       2  03-09  033. Matthew Breach         Douglas, MA (MA)        3  03-07  034. David Dziob            Meriden, CT (CT)        2  03-07  034. Robert Williamson      Gorham, ME (ME)         2  03-07  036. Russell Phillips       Guilford, VT (VT)       3  03-05  037. Christopher Killoren   Marcellus, NY (NY)      2  03-05  038. Jim Lynch              Bomoseen, VT (VT)       2  03-04  039. Carlos Montoya Martinez Pozuelo Del Rev SPAIN ( 3  03-03  040. Jim Rockett            Intervale, NH (NH)      2  03-03  041. Jeremy Douglas         Rochester, NY (NY)      2  03-02  041. Mark Porco             Torontoa Ontario CANADA 2  03-02  043. Doug Kirkbride         Beaver Falls, NY (NY)   2  03-01  043. Tom Reynolds           Lyme, CT (CT)           2  03-01  045. Michael Abernathy      Coventry, RI (RI)       3  03-00  046. Scott Parker           Candia, NH (NH)         2  03-00  047. Frank Ramsay           Ingleside ONTARIO CANAD 2  02-15  048. Carlos Lopez           Madrid Arganda SPAIN (E 3  02-13  049. Daryl Biron            South Windsor, CT (CT)  3  02-12  050. Chris Mann             Cornish, VT (VT)        2  02-09  051. Chuck Sturtevant       NoChihenden, VT (VT)    2  02-08  052. Jim Bianchi            Rush, NY (NY)           1  02-08  052. Brian Croteau          Blackstone, MA (RI)     1  02-08  054. John Lamour            Harrowsmith CANADA (ONT 2  02-07  055. Alan Krause            Hingham, MA (MA)        2  02-05  056. Kevin Miller           Merrimack, NH (NH)      2  02-03  057. Chris Guncheon         Warwick, RI (RI)        1  02-03  058. Bill Rider             Standish, ME (ME)       2  02-02  058. Dave Spence            Pickering CANADA (ONT)  2  02-02  060. Rafael Diaz Gonzalez   Rivasvacia Madrid SPAIN 2  02-00  061. Patrick Campbell       Barrie Ontario CANADA ( 2  01-15  062. Pedro Jose Garcia Perero Minglanilla SPAIN (ESP) 2  01-11  063. Jason Kervin           Auburn, ME (ME)         1  01-10  064. Ruben Corbella Salvia  Mollerusa SPAIN (ESP)   1  01-10  065. Robert Pepe            Plainville, CT (CT)     1  01-09  066. Eric Corbella Salvia   Mollerusa SPAIN (ESP)   2  01-08  067. Keith Poulin           Lisbon, ME (ME)         1  01-08  067. TJ Valle               Rochester, NY (NY)      1  01-08  069. Scott Dupuis           Wilmington, VT (VT)     2  01-06  070. Paul LeBlanc           Medway, MA (MA)         1  01-06  071. Dwayne Turnage         Hollis, ME (ME)         1  01-04  072. John Shpack            Attleboro, MA (MA)      1  01-03  073. Shane Fernandez        Etobicoke Ontario CANAD 1  01-02  073. Dan Tavilla            Clelmsford, MA (MA)     1  01-02  073. Steve Wilson           East Waterboro, ME (ME) 1  01-02  076. Daniel Gonzalez Garcia Madrid,  (ESP)          1  01-01  077. Steve Beam             Manlius, NY (NY)        1  01-00  077. Joe Burchill           Boston, MA (MA)         1  01-00  077. Miguel Munoz Martinez  Cofrentes SPAIN (ESP)   1  01-00  080. Ronald Bestwick        Grisword, CT (RI)       1  00-15  080. Jim Burrows            Nashua, NH (NH)         1  00-15  080. Ryan Friscia           Central Square, NY (NY) 1  00-15  083. John Diaco             Rochester, NH (NH)      1  00-14  084. Doug Brownridge        Milton ONTARIO CANADA ( 1  00-13  084. Michael Caudle         Foxboro, MA (MA)        1  00-13  086. Gerry Blanchette       Concord, NH (NH)        0  00-00  086. Glen Bruce             Saco, ME (ME)           0  00-00  086. Steve Castagnino       Mansfield, MA (MA)      0  00-00  086. Brian Chadwick         Woolsich, ME (ME)       0  00-00  086. RC Cooper              Nashua, NH (NH)         0  00-00  086. Steven Dorsey          Warwick, RI (RI)        0  00-00  086. Timothy Dube           Nashua , NH (NH)        0  00-00  086. Steve Goozey           Pomfret Center, CT (RI) 0  00-00  086. Gary Graser            Claremont, NH (NH)      0  00-00  086. Shane Hatch            Owls Head, ME (ME)      0  00-00  086. Joe Holland            Jefferson, ME (ME)      0  00-00  086. Brian Jarvis           Warwick , RI (RI)       0  00-00  086. James Johnson          Scitoate, RI (RI)       0  00-00  086. Jeffrey Kenney         Franklin, MA (MA)       0  00-00  086. Ronald Larivee         Chepachet, RI (RI)      0  00-00  086. Doug Lees              Ottawa Ontario CANADA ( 0  00-00  086. Joe Mahood             Briarcliff Manor, NY (C 0  00-00  086. Juan Carlos Moreno Carretero Sevilla Nueva SPAIN (ES 0  00-00  086. Ricky Turczak          Housatonic, MA (MA)     0  00-00  086. Jeremy Von Oesen       Dixmont, ME (ME)        0  00-00  086. Phillip Wade           New Haven, VT (VT)      0  00-00  086. Bob Wetzler            Rutland, VT (VT)        0  00-00  086. Steven Worden          Cumberland, RI (RI)     0  00-00  0———————————————————————–

———————————————————————–TotalsDay   #Limits    #Fish      Weight1       12       205       289-01———————————-12       205       289-01

TEAM STANDINGS Day 1———————————-State                Lbs-Oz1 NEW YORK              52-022 CONNECTICUT           44-103 ONTARIO               38-114 VERMONT               33-085 NEW HAMPSHIRE         30-126 SPAIN                 29-087 MASSACHUSETTS         23-118 MAINE                 18-069 RHODE ISLAND          17-13

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1———————————————————————–

CONNECTICUTAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 Alex Wetherell       Middletown, CT              5   06-05  02 Reed Johnson         Farmington, CT              5   05-14  03 Dino Moutogiannis    Newington, CT               3   04-10  04 Edward Kohl          Waterford, CT               2   04-08  05 John Knowles         Oakdale, CT                 2   04-07  06 Mickey Soler         Newington, CT               4   04-03  07 Chris Bielert        Danbury, CT                 3   03-14  08 David Dziob          Meriden, CT                 2   03-07  09 Tom Reynolds         Lyme, CT                    2   03-01  010 Daryl Biron          South Windsor, CT           3   02-12  011 Robert Pepe          Plainville, CT              1   01-09  012 Joe Mahood           Briarcliff Manor, NY        0   00-00  0

MASSACHUSETTSAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 George Barnes        Cambridge, MA               4   06-09  02 Pete Demoya          Plymouth, MA                5   05-14  03 Matthew Breach       Douglas, MA                 3   03-07  04 Alan Krause          Hingham, MA                 2   02-05  05 Paul LeBlanc         Medway, MA                  1   01-06  06 John Shpack          Attleboro, MA               1   01-03  07 Dan Tavilla          Clelmsford, MA              1   01-02  08 Joe Burchill         Boston, MA                  1   01-00  09 Michael Caudle       Foxboro, MA                 1   00-13  010 Steve Castagnino     Mansfield, MA               0   00-00  010 Jeffrey Kenney       Franklin, MA                0   00-00  010 Ricky Turczak        Housatonic, MA              0   00-00  0

MAINEAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 Mark Desjardin       Vassalboro, ME              4   07-05  02 Robert Williamson    Gorham, ME                  2   03-07  03 Bill Rider           Standish, ME                2   02-02  04 Jason Kervin         Auburn, ME                  1   01-10  05 Keith Poulin         Lisbon, ME                  1   01-08  06 Dwayne Turnage       Hollis, ME                  1   01-04  07 Steve Wilson         East Waterboro, ME          1   01-02  08 Glen Bruce           Saco, ME                    0   00-00  08 Brian Chadwick       Woolsich, ME                0   00-00  08 Shane Hatch          Owls Head, ME               0   00-00  08 Joe Holland          Jefferson, ME               0   00-00  08 Jeremy Von Oesen     Dixmont, ME                 0   00-00  0

NEW HAMPSHIREAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 David LeBlanc        Springfield, NH             5   08-03  02 Dave Andrews         Hudson, MA                  3   07-14  03 John Fortier         Sanbornton, NH              4   04-08  04 Jim Rockett          Intervale, NH               2   03-03  05 Scott Parker         Candia, NH                  2   03-00  06 Kevin Miller         Merrimack, NH               2   02-03  07 Jim Burrows          Nashua, NH                  1   00-15  08 John Diaco           Rochester, NH               1   00-14  09 Gerry Blanchette     Concord, NH                 0   00-00  09 RC Cooper            Nashua, NH                  0   00-00  09 Timothy Dube         Nashua , NH                 0   00-00  09 Gary Graser          Claremont, NH               0   00-00  0

NEW YORKAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 Steven Pickard       Fulton, NY                  5   09-08  02 Jamie Hartman        Newport, NY                 5   08-06  03 Casey Smith          Macedon, NY                 5   07-06  04 Chris O’Brien        Rochester, NY               5   06-03  05 George Yund          Albany, NY                  5   05-04  06 Christopher Killoren Marcellus, NY               2   03-05  07 Jeremy Douglas       Rochester, NY               2   03-02  08 Doug Kirkbride       Beaver Falls, NY            2   03-01  09 Jim Bianchi          Rush, NY                    1   02-08  010 TJ Valle             Rochester, NY               1   01-08  011 Steve Beam           Manlius, NY                 1   01-00  012 Ryan Friscia         Central Square, NY          1   00-15  0

RHODE ISLANDAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 Philip Casto         Woonsocket, RI              2   05-01  02 Lewis Mendall        Wrentham, MA                2   04-02  03 Michael Abernathy    Coventry, RI                3   03-00  04 Brian Croteau        Blackstone, MA              1   02-08  05 Chris Guncheon       Warwick, RI                 1   02-03  06 Ronald Bestwick      Grisword, CT                1   00-15  07 Steven Dorsey        Warwick, RI                 0   00-00  07 Steve Goozey         Pomfret Center, CT          0   00-00  07 Brian Jarvis         Warwick , RI                0   00-00  07 James Johnson        Scitoate, RI                0   00-00  07 Ronald Larivee       Chepachet, RI               0   00-00  07 Steven Worden        Cumberland, RI              0   00-00  0

VERMONTAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 James Knox           Rutland, VT                 4   04-12  02 Bill Wright          Whiting, VT                 3   04-04  03 James Jeffries       Rouses Point, NY            1   04-02  04 Chris Adams          Rutland, VT                 3   03-13  05 Skip Sjobeck         Randolph, VT                2   03-09  06 Russell Phillips     Guilford, VT                3   03-05  07 Jim Lynch            Bomoseen, VT                2   03-04  08 Chris Mann           Cornish, VT                 2   02-09  09 Chuck Sturtevant     NoChihenden, VT             2   02-08  010 Scott Dupuis         Wilmington, VT              2   01-06  011 Phillip Wade         New Haven, VT               0   00-00  011 Bob Wetzler          Rutland, VT                 0   00-00  0

ONTARIOAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 Larry MacPhail       Kingston Ontario CANADA     5   06-14  02 Charles Sim          Ottawa CANADA               5   06-05  03 Bob Thornington      Kirkfield ONTARIO CANAD    2   06-04  04 Kal Vaisanen         Dundalk ONTARIO CANADA      3   04-12  05 Mark Porco           Torontoa Ontario CANADA     2   03-02  06 Frank Ramsay         Ingleside ONTARIO CANAD    2   02-15  07 John Lamour          Harrowsmith CANADA          2   02-07  08 Dave Spence          Pickering CANADA            2   02-02  09 Patrick Campbell     Barrie Ontario CANADA       2   01-15  010 Shane Fernandez      Etobicoke Ontario CANAD    1   01-02  011 Doug Brownridge      Milton ONTARIO CANADA       1   00-13  012 Doug Lees            Ottawa Ontario CANADA       0   00-00  0

SPAINAngler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$1 Cesar Ventura Pecellin Munoz Badajoz SPAIN               5   06-05  02 Carlos Perez Zamorano Madrid SPAIN                3   04-03  03 Javier Casado Izquierdo Caceres SPAIN               3   04-02  04 Carlos Montoya Martinez Pozuelo Del Rev SPAIN       3   03-03  05 Carlos Lopez         Madrid Arganda SPAIN        3   02-13  06 Rafael Diaz Gonzalez Rivasvacia Madrid SPAIN     2   02-00  07 Pedro Jose Garcia Perero Minglanilla SPAIN           2   01-11  08 Ruben Corbella Salvia Mollerusa SPAIN             1   01-10  09 Eric Corbella Salvia Mollerusa SPAIN             2   01-08  010 Daniel Gonzalez Garcia Madrid,                     1   01-01  011 Miguel Munoz Martinez Cofrentes SPAIN             1   01-00  012 Juan Carlos Moreno Carretero Sevilla Nueva SPAIN         0   00-00  0

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