By Astrid DeGruchy
icked Tuna is a show my ancé, Capt. Brandon Storin, and I like to watch. As an avid angler betrothed to a charter captain, I think it’s pretty cool to watch these guys reel in giants, but it’s even cooler to do it Brandon and I wanted this experience, so we went on a charter with the legendary crew of the “Hard Merchandise.” Docked in Gloucester, Mass., the boat is very spacious with a heated cabin, full head and all the latest electronics. Capt. Joe Marciano and his Mate, Jay, are exactly as they are from the show, and their skillsets for catching
During our time with them, conditions were a bit rough. It called for us leaving the docks earlier than anyone else, and while riding out, you could really see how meticulous they are in each part of the rigging and set up. During the boat ride, conversation was great, with plenty of laughs to go around. Before we knew it, we were at the tuna grounds.
In the midst of catching and soaking baits and waiting for the bite, the crew made us fresh breakfast and it was amazing. We had bacon and scrambled eggs with lobster.
e experience is very much like what you would expect from watching the show. ere’s lots of refreshing baits and waiting for a bite. When they mark sh on the sonar, the enthusiasm from the crew is amazing, just like on television. Capt. Joe and Jay jump up, yelling “WE’RE MARKING!” Adrenaline starts pumping with anticipation as you hope everything is lined up perfect enough to get a bite.
Fortunately, we did get tight, and I have never seen a sh take such a wild and ferocious run… several times. I was up to battle this sh with coaching from Capt. Joe and Jay. ere is nesse needed to ght a giant like this, and a cra in staying tight and knowing when to let him run. Every second spent reeling elevated the hope that we might land this big tuna. Yet there was also anxiety. If you’ve watched the show, you know that losing one of these monsters is a very real possibility.
We battled the sh for a while. Gaining where I could, adrenaline kept me pumping while the crew maneuvered the boat. e communication is constant as everyone works together.
Finally, I saw this huge beast start surfacing. Capt. Joe moved in with the harpoon, ready to take the shot. Everything happened so quickly! e beast surfaced, and Capt. Joe drilled it with a perfect gill shot. It wasn’t over yet, but it was just a matter of time. A er the sh made one last run, taking a bunch of rope, we hauled it back in and roped its tail. At that point, I knew I had landed my top bucket-list sh.
It was an amazing experience, and it felt like we were literally in an episode of Wicked Tuna. What you see from the show is what you get in person. ere is no script; nothing is fake. ere is only grit, talent and hope, and these guys have all that.
e Hard Merchandise team recently launched Angelica Seafoods, where one can order fresh blue n, lobster, scallops, oysters and more to be delivered to your door. If you plan a trip to Boston and want to catch a sh of a lifetime, book a charter with the Hard Merchandise.
For more information on the Hard Merchandise, visit www.angelica sheries.com/fv-hardmerchandise.
IG: @catching_astrid @bnmbean @hardmerchjoe @melodyredwing @hardmerchandisejay.
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That’s quite a headline for a 17-year-old high school student from Clewiston, Fla. who loves bass shing.
I spoke with Hilary while she was in Palatka, Fla. preparing to sh the Florida Bass Nation tournaments on the St. Johns River, and her enthusiasm and passion for the sport of bass shing were impressive.
Last year, at 16, she nished h at the State Championship of the Florida Bass Nation with a total weight heavier than 19 pounds. She’s hoping to do even better this year.
I asked her if she could remember when she rst started shing, and she laughed as she guessed that she was “probably only 2 years old.” A er all, she does come from a pretty well-known family of professional bass shermen.
Her grandfather, the legendary Roland Martin, is one of the greatest bass shermen of all time. Her father, Scott, won the 2011 Forest Wood Cup Championship, and also has 45 top-ten nishes and eight tour victories in the FLW and hosts the Scott Martin Challenge.
But things are di erent today than they were
By Don Norton
Iin the past. Today, social media is the key to reaching your audience, and Hilary has done an incredible job on both YouTube, with over 100,000 subscribers, and Instagram with 103,000 followers.
Most of her videos are bass shing, although she’s had some very interesting saltwater shing videos, as well.
Hilary said she started taking bass shing seriously when she was 15 years old, and at 16, joined the Florida Bass Nation Series.
She has her own bass boat, a 20’ Skeeter FXR, with a 250hp Yamaha, but she also shes out of her dad’s boat from time to time, because, “it’s got all the goodies,” she laughed.
Her biggest bass, a whopping 9.1-pounder was caught ipping a black/blue Sweet Beaver along the edges of cattails on Lake Okeechobee when she was only 14 years old. She hopes to break that personal best soon.
Her shing arsenal includes a Favorite Phantom Series shing rod, a Shimano Curado reel and braided or uorocarbon line, along with her favorite bait, a Zoom Speed Worm.
“I was shing out of a kayak and I saw this
far away, so I threw my Speed Worm just past the mark,” she recounted. “I started a fast retrieve when a big bass came up and just exploded on it. at sh drug me around for what seemed like forever before I nally landed it. It weighed just over ve pounds. e cover picture of me holding a bass was taken the day a er.”
Listening to her tell that story, her excitement, enthusiasm and passion for bass shing became even more obvious.
If you haven’t seen one of her videos on YouTube ( eReelHilarySue), I’d strongly recommend you check them out. ey’re fun to watch, and you might just learn something. She’s a natural.
What an incredible future this beautiful, talented young lady has in store. I think she’ll be one of the biggest names in professional bass shing in the years to come.
Don Norton is co-publisher of the Okeechobee edition of e Angler Magazine.
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a.m., grabbed some breakfast and drove the rest of the way to meet Mark at Moore Reservoir. If you haven’t done this trip in a while, Route 93 through Franconia Notch and all the ski resorts has some beautiful scenery. There are plenty of lakes and rivers to keep you dreaming about all the fish you can catch!
Early Autumn in New England? It’s a great time to explore some of your favorite fishing spots. As the leaves start to change, I like to head north to check out the fall foliage and, more importantly, go after those FINNED friends of mine.
That was the idea when we planned a trip to Moore Reservoir in New Hampshire, but when it was time to go, the weather wasn‘t quite what it historically is. The recent spate of hurricanes had brought warmer temps, delaying the fall foliage and keeping the water temps high.
Still, this was a trip I’d been looking forward to, and who can complain about a 75-degree day in northern New England in the fall!!!
The great thing about our getaway was how it all started— as an invitation from Mark Beauchesne, Advertising & Promotions Coordinator for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and a guide business owner as well. Mark’s an incredibly knowledgeable guy who I enjoy speaking with at sports shows across New England, including the New England Fishing & Outdoor Expo in Boxborough, Massachusetts each January.
The trip began with my camera guy, Chris Goodney, and I driving to Concord, New Hampshire on a Friday night. We enjoyed a delicious meal at the Common Man Restaurant and were able to get a good night’s sleep in preparation for a day of hardcore fishing. The next morning we got up at 5:30
With temperatures about ten degrees above normal, we knew our goal of bringing in several northern’s wasn’t going to be easy. But Mark had knowledge of the lake and killer electronics, and we were able to grind it out spot after spot in his new ranger aluminum boat.
We threw everything at them but the kitchen sink: spinnerbaits, topwater, jerkbaits, tubes, jigs, drop shot—you name it. Certainly, the fishing was tougher than expected but it was awesome to get inside a guide’s head and see what he does on a daily basis. The common ground we shared is being guys who refuse to give up. It’s an attitude of doing whatever it takes to figure out where the fish may be, no matter where you’re fishing or what the conditions are. I’ll stay out there for ten hours straight if that’s what it takes!
Fortunately, our persistence paid off. We caught some
quality smallmouth bass, which was a ton of fun, even if they were all in the one to three-pound range. But the highlight of the day was locking onto a ninepound, 31-inch long northern Pike with light spinning tackle and an eight-pound mono, and then fighting her for three strong runs as she kept peeling off drag. Eventually, I was able to get her boatside as Mark netted her perfectly.
The other great thing about our trip was the awesomeness of Moore Reservoir. Created in 1957 as a byproduct of the Moore Dam, which was built on the Connecticut River, Moore Reservoir is New Hampshire’s fourth largest lake, with 3,500 acres. More importantly, it’s the state’s largest undeveloped lake. Thanks to a unique agreement between the hydro power company, federal and state agencies, conservation groups, and the Connecticut River Joint Commissions, Moore Reservoir is an amazing wildlife habitat featuring clean water and lots of great recreational opportunities. You’ll see zero houses and very light boat traffic.
So if you’re looking for a quick yet fun adventure full of natural beauty and fantastic angling, head to Moore Reservoir this fall...or next!
Until then, God Bless and Go Fish!
By Stephanie Winter
If you're new to fishing, it’s your first time fishing Montana, or you don't want to spend a lot of time figuring out what the fish are eating on your own, hire a guide for a day trip. Guided day trips are more expensive, but will help take the guessing out of the where-to-fish-andwhat-to-tie-on equation. Day trips are perfect if you want to fish multiple rivers and use dif ferent guides. Having a guide removes the annoyances of tying on flies, untangling your line and unhooking a slippery fish. Hiring a guide is particu larly important if you have any special needs. They give you the choice of wading or float ing; which is especially critical if mobility is a factor.
Regardless of your approach, you should plan on spending at least four or five days here as fishing can be unpredictable. Know that high or low water, inclement weather, and wild fires are out of anyone’s control and you might need to cancel or modify your trip based on these unpredictable events.
Getting to Montana can be a process. Depending on your initial location, travel typically takes a full day with at least one connection. Make sure to book your flights in advance. Cell service is non-existent in most remote locations in Mon tana. Make sure you know where you are going and you have enough gas to get there and back before you head out on any trip.
Montana indisputably has some of the best trout fishing in North America. Its scenic set ting, pristine waters, and public accessibility make the state an ideal spot for a fishing vacation. Deciding if you want to plan a self-guided, day trips with a guide, or staying at a lodge is the first step in setting up your perfect Montana vacation.
A self-guided fishing vaca tion is perfect for experienced anglers, people on a budget, anyone who wants flexibility, and people who don't care how many fish they catch. Expect to spend a few days fishing a river before you figure out the right flies and technique to use.
Montana is ideal for a self-guid ed fishing trip as the stream ac cess is unparalleled. Not only are there plenty of well-marked access sites but you can wade fish any river as long as you en ter through a public access site or public bridge and stay below
the high water mark. There are also tons of free or very inex pensive public campgrounds close to access sites.
The downside of self-guiding is the need to figure everything out yourself. You need to have a car, food and fishing equipment. Book a campsite or hotel well in advance. Look up hatch charts and packing lists before you go.
Stay in an area where you have access to several fishing sites as the rivers can be blown out or too low by the time you get here.
Your final option is staying at a fishing lodge. A lodge is the priciest option but has abun dant amenities. Staying at a fly fishing lodge requires the least amount of planning on your part. Fishing lodges should shuttle you from the airport, arrange your guides, and pro vide gourmet meals. Lodge ac commodations are usually in beautiful, remote settings giv ing you a peaceful respite from everyday life. If you feel like so cializing, you can interact with the other lodge guests, who are most likely just as obsessed with fishing as you.
Aside from the price, the draw back of staying at a fishing lodge is the lack of flexibility. When you meet your guide, when they bring you home, and mealtimes aren't adjust able. A fishing lodge is prob ably not for you if you have a non-fishing significant other or young children joining you. Most lodges' remote locations provide few alternative activi ties for those not fishing.
Keeping all this in mind, fishing in Montana is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable expe riences for any angler. People fly from around the world for a chance to hook a trophy trout. Whether you’re looking for a re laxing vacation full of fresh air and scenic views or reevaluating your purpose in life, Montana has a life-changing experience for everyone.
Stephanie Winter is a fly fishing guide at Big Hole Lodge in Wise River, MT. Find more fish pics on her instagram @stephrwinter.
This month the surfcasters in the far north of the stripers range become few and far between. The cold has begun to set in and hunting season is in full swing. The few surfcasters that are still plying their craft at the chance for that late season cow. There are still plenty of schoolies and slot sized fish that have not gotten the memo that it is time to join the rest of the migration south. Mixed in with those smaller bass is usually a cow or two.
It definitely became harder this month with less guys in the surf. The only intel you can rely on is your own because what you are hearing from the tackle shops or fishing reports could be days old or more. Be mobile by popping in and out of locations that you have caught consistently in the past. Make a plan with spots that you have ranked that fit the criteria for putting one last bend in the rod.
Plug selection for this month can be tough making you want to cram as many plugs into your bag as possible. Keeping the weight down in your plug bag will make for a more enjoyable walk down the beach. Needlefish are a main staple in my bag in November. With sand eels being one of the major baits
in the areas I focus my efforts on adding a teaser sand eel fly above it doubles my odds. My sand eel teaser setup is a barrel swivel tied to my main line. From the barrel swivel I tie a 6 inch leader for the sand eel fly and a 3 foot leader to attach my needlefish. Most nights it is the sand eel fly that gets all the attention. The needle fish is in most instances just the delivery vehicle for the teaser.
With the sand eels coming into the surf, mackerel tend to be right on their heels. These two baits are what fuel my November striped bass endeavors. During the day you can watch micro blitzes of mackerel attacking sand eels. When I see this I tend to focus my night time forays in those areas. When I know the macs are in the surf I will still throw the sand eel teaser fly but throw it in front of a mackerel colored needlefish. This covers my bases when it is mackerel and sand eels on the menu.
Rounding out the plug bag is usually a pair of minnow plugs. They are just so productive on all size classes of bass. A glide bait makes its way into the bag. I don’t fish them as aggressively this month with the water temps being cooler and the bass a bit more lethargic. A steady
retrieve will produce a tight s shaped motion enticing the weariest of bass. A metal lip swimmer is most always in my bag whether it be a danny, atom 40, or surfster. If I can find one large bass looking for a big easy meal in November this style of plug I have the most confidence in doing so with. The rest of my bag is rounded out with bucktails and paddle tail shads.
Locations that provide your best chances at late season stripers tend to have warmer water and an ample supply of food. Harbor entrances, river mouths and the adjacent beaches provide me with my best opportunities. What bait that has not left has become a dinner bell for the stragglers that have not migrated yet or those that are going to winter over. These locations are going to be where the teaser fly is going to come in handy. These locations that I am talking about tend to be sand bottom and the sand eels come in taking up residence. Scoping these spots out during the day will let you know if it is worth your effort after dark. Fishing these locations during the daylight is not a bad idea. If you are into smaller fish during the day coming back after dark tends to draw the bigger bass in.
The rock piles that I have fished all summer start to become a ghost town in November. I always make it a point to dedicate an hour to one specific rock pile. The reason I dedicate an hour to this rock pile is having caught a 41 pound bass there on a cold November night. When the tide and wind are right for that spot I give it an hour of time for the brief window of opportunity at another cow.
Most every surfcaster knows the story of Tony Stetzko’s 73 pound Massachusetts State record striped bass.
Stetzko’s striper was caught on November 3rd on Cape Cod.
The fish hit Stetzko’s sand eel teaser fly that was tied above a live eel. There is no hard and fast start or stop date to the migration. As a surfcaster you determine that the fish have moved on and hang it up for the year. Picking your weather windows, tides, and moon phase could reward you with that last big fish of the season.
November is a grind in New England for surfcasters. A warm bed and a good night's sleep can be tempting after nights of fishless outings. No surfcaster wants to end their season on a skunk but chasing striped bass in November seems a whole lot better than sitting on the couch.
Jared Wood is a surfcaster who fishes from Maine to Connecticut. Targeting Striped Bass, Bluefish, Albies, and Bonito in the surf. He can be found on Instagram as surfcaster_jared. For any questions he can be reached at jaredwood25@gmail.com.
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In September, I embarked on one of the craziest adventures I’ve ever experienced to sh for crazy exotic species on the Rio Guaviare deep in Columbia’s Mapiri Jungle.
Just getting there was an adventure. We spent two days ying from Miami to Bogata and then to San Jose, Colombia, which was a buzzing little town where we picked up last minute supplies, ate a breakfast of pirahana head soup and got wrist bands tied by an elderly women and her pet spider monkey, Kiki.
At the port, we loaded gear in a small shaded boat powered by a Yamaha 200 2-stroke, with a spare lower unit tied on top. I was accompanied by my cameraman Adrian, from Poland, good friends Jake, Derek, Karl, and our jungle guide Diego, from Chile.
We set out downstream and rode for hours, passing through two army checkpoints, before we reached our halfway point at 118 miles. We stopped for lunch and to refuel at an isolated jungle town only accessible by boat. As we creeped up muddy stone steps, we were shocked to see a small town with convenience stores, restaurants, a playground, a basketball court, and happy people everywhere. It was a cool window into a di erent reality.
A er playing soccer with the local kids and a delicious fried sh lunch, we headed farther downstream. When darkness arrived, the jungle came alive and our driver did not feel comfortable navigating the rapids at night. So we stopped and Diego traded goods with an indigenous man for permission to sleep at his house. Some opted to sleep in the boat. e mosquitoes, hornets and massive cockroaches made it tough to sleep. A er long hours, the sun nally rose, and we headed another 45 minutes downriver to base camp, where we discovered we were in for even more travel.
We packed lighter for three days of shing and camping at a sacred waterfall inhabited by one of the jungle tribes. It was another 2.5 hours downstream to a small creek that would lead us up to a second camp. We shed our way up the creek.
On my rst cast, a 15-pound sardinata exploded on my popper boatside. Imagine a huge pilchard but with sharp teeth and hyper-aggressive topwater strikes. Fully grown, Sardinata can weigh 25 pounds. is one threw the hooks, and shing only got crazier from there.
I was throwing a 9-inch Countdown Rapala in Firetiger at the tree line and retrieving it to the boat. Almost every cast we hooked massive payara. is sh is similar to a tarpon, with silver scales, acrobatic leaps and a bony mouth that made hook sets di cult. Payara have long fangs on their lower jaw capable of slicing thick-scaled sh and shing line with ease. ey are without a doubt the most challenging, unique and aggressive jungle predators I’ve ever targeted. I managed to catch quite a few on y and spin tackle.
Another unique species was a matrinxa, a silver-scaled delicacy. ey are omnivorous and sit below trees to eat dropping fruits and nuts. ey also hit lures with insane power. ese sh were extremely hard ghting and very tasty. ey have teeth like human molars for cracking hard nuts.
Red bellied pacu are another ferocious species we caught. ey have a similar ambush style and diet to the matrinxa. ey are equally aggressive and display gorgeous hues of purple and black
Iwith a blood orange/red underbelly. Black and red bellied pirahana were in no shortage, either. A er three days of shing by the waterfall, we headed back to base camp for new species.
Heavy rains raised water levels, which busted our hopes to catch big peacock bass. But it opened a new door: catching monster cat sh.
I caught several new species of large cat sh. One of the most unique was a ripsaw cat sh. ey have so lips and a long face, similar to carp. ey also have a sharp chainsaw blade for a lateral line, earning them the nickname “Caiman Killer.” I caught small tiger shovelnose cat sh, as well as red tail cat sh. Red tail cat sh are one of the strongest ghting cat sh I’ve ever encountered. It took three days of break-o s before I was able to muscle one up. It weighed 40 pounds.
Fishing the jungle is tough, and it is not for everyone. is trip scarred me with bug bites from head to toe, and I su ered many bee and hornet stings. It is not comfortable in any sense, but it is good for the mind. ere’s no cell phone reception; you are stripped of everything. e only thing that matters is the present moment. For me, it is the biggest adrenaline rush to travel into the unknown and learn about new shing and culture.
Check out Ryan Izquierdo’s YouTube Channel, “Ryan Iz Fishing” for a series called “Jungle Jeopardy.” E-mail him at Ryanizquierdoyt@ gmail.com with questions or to nd out how you can go on one of these trips.
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more to Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula than world-famous salmon runs. e saltwater shing is also phenomenal, with species like halibut, salmon shark, ounder, yelloweye rock sh and ling cod being primary targets.
When you run out of Seward to Resurrection Bay, you might see some of the Deadliest Catch boats, and you might see multiple species of whale. We saw a lot of humpbacks this past summer. At more than 900 feet deep, with glaciers around the rim, the bay is awe-inspiring. ere are several good charter operations. Some make long runs for big halibut, while some o er shing that’s a little more local. Check with J Dock Fishing Co. in Seward for the latest shing information and charters. If you’re more of a DIY angler, Miller’s Landing in Seward o ers lodging and charters, and they also rent boats and shing equipment. If you want this option, book early. I have mine booked for next year, already.
Homer is the Halibut Capital of the World,
and it’s another great Kenai destination. We went with some friends and got on some good Halibut! I’m new to the electric reels we used. You had to time the hook-set just right. It took several bites to gure it out, but we caught sh once we got the hang of it. I pulled one a good way o the bottom before it decided it wasn’t coming in and broke a 150-pound-mono leader! We caught several good keepers and turned the smaller ones loose. ere are plenty of charters in Homer. North Country Charters is a great one that o ers halibut and salmon trips. ey will put you on some big halibut. My largest weighed 99 pounds, but North Country catches sh that are much larger.
If you want a long-run charter, check out Casino Charters. If you want to catch sh from the beach, check out Family Shore Fishing. ey set you up with a guide, shing rods and bait at Lands End, which juts out into the bay. Fishing low tide on the shelf, you can catch cod, ounder and halibut. We lled a cart with cod
and ounder in less than two hours shing from shore. en we went back another day without a guide and wore them out again!
Fishing in Alaska is just like anywhere else, once you learn what works, you can do it over and over. ere are lots of di erent kinds of shing there, but once you learn where and how to catch them, you can do it yourself.
On this past summer’s trip, as we were headed to the airport to go home, we drove along Cook Inlet and spotted a school of beluga whales swimming the shoreline. You never know what you’ll see in Alaska. Some things are just so amazing!
I’m currently pulling together next summer’s trip to Kenai, and I’m making a short guide of things traveling anglers might want to know. Feel free to shoot me an email with questions.
For more information, contact Gary Turner at gary@purgeright.com.
About 50 years ago, Ralph Vodicka lost one of his favorite rod and reel combos when his boat capsized in North Carolina’s unpredictable Oregon Inlet. Recently, Vodicka was reunited with his 9-foot rod equipped with a Fin-Nor 4 spinning reel, and it still works!
Here is a brief recount of the amazing story reported by Summer Stevens in e Coastland Times.
In fair weather in the early 1970s, Vodicka and three buddies attempted to return through Oregon Inlet a er shing o Hatteras National Seashore in a 17-foot 1966 Boston Whaler. e outgoing tide colliding with incoming rollers created rough conditions, even for a large trawler the anglers watched navigating the inlet. Vodicka was faced with a decision. ey could either wait for the tide change, which would force them to make their run in the dark. Or they could go for it.
“Waiting it out would put us in the middle of the night,” Vodicka remembered. “We decided that the best choice was to race on in while we could see. I told everyone, ‘Hold on, don’t move. We’ll ride on the back of one of the breaking waves. Even if it takes a little water, it’ll be ok.’”
In the middle of the inlet, as they were taking on water, a line caught in the prop and it stopped turning. e boat was at the mercy of the tide and waves, and an 8-foot breaker ipped it end over end. e story of the exciting rescue is reported in detail in e Coastland Times. It involves the captain of an old 25-foot boat and his grandson risking great peril to time the waves and rescue each of the anglers one at a time. Vodicka’s badly damaged Whaler was later recovered, and he lost a bunch of shing gear, including the rod and reel that began this story.
e details are lost to time, but apparently the Fin-Nor reel and the rod were hauled up in a commercial angler’s net. e unique set-up ended up doing decades of duty as a showpiece on the wall in Dennis Dudley’s Elizabeth City, North Carolina home.
Vodicka,” and Dudley tried to locate the Fin-Nor’s owner when he received the rod in the mid-1970s. Dudley’s phone book searches came up empty, and the search was forgotten… until recently.
Dudley, 78, remembered the mystery of the reel’s owner while going through his possessions. A quick Google search turned up Vodicka, who is 89 and living in Raleigh, N.C. e men met to eat lunch, and Vodicka was reunited with the beautiful rod and reel he lost half a century ago.
Amazingly, the antique Fin-Nor is already back in action. Instead of hanging it on the wall, Vodicka had it serviced and used it on the Neuse River over Labor Day weekend.
e reel was equipped with a custom plate engraved with “Ralph E.
“It worked. It worked ne,” he said. “It’s amazing that a er 50 years you get your favorite rod and reel back.”
To read the whole story, go to www.thecoastlandtimes.com.
Everyone hates a cheater, which is why it’s no surprise that tempers ared when two cheaters were caught red-handed at a Lake Erie Walleye Tour (LEWT) event on Oct. 1. e event was the tour championship for the series, and the Team of the Year would also be crowned a er weigh-ins. Team Crankin’ Hogs brought to the scales a ve- sh limit that weighed more than 33-pounds. It It would have secured Jake Runyan and Chase Cominsky well over $20,000 for the championship win and for Team of the Year honors. ey overplayed their dirty hand.
Tournament Director Jason Fischer suspected something was amiss when the sh hit the scales. Fischer later told CNN that the sh looked like they should have weighed 4 pounds each, but the total weight indicated they were much heavier. He handled the sh and felt something hard inside one of them.
In a now-viral YouTube Video, Fischer guts the sh as the cheaters stand by silently. “We have weights in the sh!” Fischer announced, and that’s when the shouting started as other anglers hurled obscenities at Runyan and Cominsky.
All-told, there were 8 pounds worth of lead weights, llets from other walleye and a pair of pliers inside Team Crankin’ Hogs’ sh. ey were immediately disquali ed and banned from the tournament series. Both men were later indicted by an Ohio grand jury on charges of cheating and attempted grand the .
It will be interesting to see if the team’s other tournament wins are called into question. ey have won numerous events over the last couple of years, including the 2021 LEWT Championship.
For more information, go to lakeeriewalleyetrail.com.
You raise the flags of the fish just caught to show you weren’t skunked.
Once onshore you can take it a step further showing your fellow anglers your catch of the day wearing “slippahs” from Scott Hawaii.
Berkeley County is a wonderland for outdoor enthusiasts, sports bu s, adventure seekers, and water lovers. From exemplary fishing for striped bass, or a trophy largemouth bass, to our hiking trails and water activities, along with scenic outdoors where you can catch a glimpse of white tail deer and gators, Berkeley County has activities to fit all visitors and families.
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