MEDFORD, Mass. — In a tournament plagued by small weights, consistency was key for the win.
Jonathan Carter had that consistency, and he won the 2012 Bassmaster Federation Nation Eastern Divisional handily by sticking with three spots that served him well.
Carter, a member of Maine’s Full Throttle Bassmasters, chose to stay in the Mystic River, a place that most anglers thought was good for a few big fish but not for quantity. He was within a short drive of the launch ramp throughout the competition. He finished with 20 pounds, 14 ounces over the three-day tournament.
“I decided to go up the Mystic because one of my team members, Scott Barker, said he had seen a lot of big fish in 8 inches of water,” explained Carter, 30. “I started there on Day 1 and didn’t have a bite until 10:30, then I caught two out of a tree.”
That bite came all three days at about the same time and in about the same place. He caught kicker fish off a rockpile under a bridge and at a marina not far from launch.
Carter was fishing within sight of Connecticut’s Mickey Soler, who led the first day with 10 pounds, 7 ounces but zeroed yesterday. Today, Soler brought an 8-8 sack to the scales. The two who fished the same area ended up in first and second place.
“I was fishing as shallow as possible,” said Carter, who relied on a Dinner Bell Lures lead-free 1/2-ounce jig with a 4-inch Berkley Chigger Craw trailer (black/blue). “I would throw the lure in and leave it there, not moving it at all. Fish would come up and swim away with it.”
Carter used a 7-foot heavy action Kistler Magnesium Jig Toad Carolina Rig rod, Abu Garcia Revo SX reel with a 7:1 gear ratio and 17-pound-test Berkley 100 Percent Fluorocarbon line. He caught one small fish using a 1/2-ounce Strike King spinnerbait with a 7-foot Bass Pro Shops Rick Clunn Signature Series spinnerbait rod and an Abu Garcia Revo STX with a 6.3:1 gear ratio.
The first-grade teacher qualified for the 2012 Cabela’s Bassmaster Federation Nation Championship, Oct. 25-27, on Alabama’s Wheeler Lake. He and Soler will compete alongside other state team champions, including Paul LeBlanc, Massachusetts; Robert Williamson, New Hampshire; Steve Pickard, New York; Bruce Leeson, Ontario; Chris Molineaux, Rhode Island; Enrique Bernal Morera, Spain; and Jim Jeffries, Vermont.
In the state team competition, Massachusetts took the trophy with an accumulative catch of 101 pounds, 13 ounces. Behind Massachusetts was Connecticut with 98-15 and Rhode Island with 95-0.
Junior Bassmaster anglers were competing today on the Mystic and Charles rivers, as well, for spots in the 2012 Bassmaster Junior World Championship, held in conjunction with next month’s adult championship. Rhode Island’s youth swept the competition, finishing first in both the 11-14 and 15-18 age divisions. Brandon Johnson, 14, and Corey Horelick, 18, took home the trophies, and the pair will journey to Alabama in October.
More adult and junior anglers will compete for spots in the championship next week in the last divisional of the season. Anglers will take to the Upper Chesapeake in Northeast, Md., beginning next Wednesday, Sept. 19. Fans can follow the action on Bassmaster.com with photos, stories and live feed of the weigh-ins.
BFN Eastern Division Championship
9/12/2012 - 9/14/2012
Mystic/Charles River - Mystic Wellington Yacht Club - Medford, MA
STANDINGS ANGLER DAY 3
Today's Activity Accumulative
Name City, State # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz PTS
1 Jonathan Carter Brewer, ME 3 3 5- 5 10 10 20-14 0
2 Mickey Soler Newington, CT 5 5 8- 8 10 10 18-15 0
3 Chris Molineaux Hope Valley, RI 5 5 6- 3 14 14 17- 1 0
4 Keith Aucoin Hollis, ME 3 3 9-11 8 8 17- 1 0
5 Robert Williamson Gorham, MN 3 3 4- 4 9 9 16- 7 0
6 Paul Leblanc Medway, MA 3 3 5- 9 9 9 16- 1 0
7 Steve Pickard Fulton, NY 4 4 7- 0 8 8 15-14 0
8 James Jeffries Rouses Point, NY 3 3 5- 2 6 6 15- 1 0
9 Skip Sjobeck Randolph, VT 3 3 7- 9 8 8 14- 9 0
10 Dave Andrews Hudson, MA 5 5 4-11 12 12 14- 7 0
11 Sean Alvarez Rutland, VT 0 0 0- 0 5 5 14- 1 0
12 David Dziob Meriden, CT 3 3 3- 0 9 9 13-14 0
13 Matthew Desimone E Berlin, CT 3 3 5-13 6 6 13- 7 0
14 Frank Zabski Milford, CT 1 1 1- 1 6 6 13- 1 0
15 Bruce Leeson Port Rowan ONTARIO 3 3 6- 0 8 8 12-15 0
16 Kevin Clark Westport, MA 1 1 0-12 7 7 12-15 0
17 John Shpack Attleboro, MA 1 1 1- 5 8 8 12-13 0
18 George Yund Albany, NY 5 5 6- 1 10 10 12-10 0
19 Scott Green Waterbury Center, V 2 2 1-15 7 7 12- 8 0
20 Mark Cavanaugh Port Perry CANADA 2 2 2- 6 9 9 11-13 0
21 Eli Delany Chestnut Hill, MA 3 3 6- 4 7 7 11-10 0
22 Sean Wilkes Latham, NY 1 1 1- 2 7 7 11-10 0
23 Dan Tavilla Clelmsford, MA 4 4 6-10 7 7 11- 9 0
24 Raymond Lentine Oxford, MA 2 2 2-15 8 8 11- 7 0
25 Steven Conde Chepachet, RI 2 2 3- 6 6 6 11- 1 0
26 William Wright Whiting, VT 0 0 0- 0 6 6 11- 1 0
27 Enrique Bernal Morena Rivasvacia Madrid S 3 3 6-10 5 5 10- 3 0
28 Frank McCormick Warwick, RI 3 3 5-12 6 6 9-15 0
29 Bob Brown Warwick, RI 1 1 2-15 6 6 9-13 0
30 Robert Kendall New Market Ontario 4 4 5-11 7 7 9- 5 0
31 Joe Matt Syracuse, NY 1 1 1- 6 4 4 9- 5 0
32 Michael Shay Cheshire, CT 3 3 4-11 6 6 9- 3 0
33 Greg Roth Orono ONTARIO CANAD 0 0 0- 0 5 5 8-10 0
34 Javier Guillen Cordoba Tarragona SPAIN 1 1 0-13 5 5 8-10 0
35 Peter Diaco Scarborough, ME 2 2 5- 6 3 3 8- 9 0
36 Mark Rorke St Cathrines ONTARI 1 1 2- 7 4 4 8- 3 0
37 Alan Denise Haverhill, MA 3 3 3-11 5 5 8- 2 0
38 Kal Vaisanen Dundalk ONTARIO CAN 1 1 1-13 5 5 7-15 0
39 Mike Billings Meriden, CT 0 0 0- 0 4 4 7-11 0
40 Dave Swimm North Andover, MA 2 2 3-11 4 4 7- 5 0
41 David Morrissette South Hadley, MA 1 1 1- 2 6 6 7- 3 0
42 Chris Gore Blauvelt, NY 1 1 1- 5 5 5 7- 0 0
43 Jim Lynch Bomoseen, VT 3 3 3- 7 4 4 6-14 0
44 Eric Femiak Taunton, MA 0 0 0- 0 3 3 6-11 0
45 Russell Phillips Guilford, VT 2 2 2-12 5 5 6- 9 0
46 Jerry Hammond Southbury, CT 2 2 2- 3 5 5 6- 9 0
47 Michael Perciballi Wethersfield, CT 2 2 2- 2 5 5 6- 5 0
48 Chuck Towns Readfield, ME 0 0 0- 0 4 4 6- 4 0
49 Keith Poulin Lisbon, ME 0 0 0- 0 3 3 6- 4 0
50 Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA 1 1 1- 1 6 6 6- 3 0
51 Jason Ross Ashley Falls, MA 4 4 6- 3 4 4 6- 3 0
52 Eloy Fernandez Jofre L'Ametlla Del Valle 0 0 0- 0 4 4 6- 2 0
53 Scott Barker Gray, ME 0 0 0- 0 2 2 5-15 0
54 Michael DiChiaro North Scituate, RI 0 0 0- 0 4 4 5-14 0
55 Steven Worden Cumberland, RI 0 0 0- 0 4 4 5- 9 0
56 Brandon Johnson Plainfield, CT 4 4 5- 6 4 4 5- 6 0
57 Gary Menchen Copake, NY 1 1 1- 4 4 4 5- 6 0
58 Alejandro Martinez Vil Terrasa SPAIN 1 1 3-13 2 2 5- 6 0
59 John Fortier Sanbornton, NH 1 1 3- 2 2 2 5- 4 0
60 Brian Morin Manchester, NH 2 2 2- 9 3 3 5- 2 0
61 Louie Bernardo Taunton, MA 0 0 0- 0 4 4 5- 1 0
62 John Diaco Rochester, NH 0 0 0- 0 5 5 5- 0 0
63 Chris Rockwell Walworth, NY 0 0 0- 0 4 4 5- 0 0
64 Norb Heil Jr East Hampton, CT 1 1 2-12 2 2 5- 0 0
65 TJ Valle Rochester, NY 0 0 0- 0 3 3 4-14 0
66 John Farrand Lewiston, ME 0 0 0- 0 4 4 4- 7 0
67 Frank Ramsay Ingleside ONTARIO C 3 3 3- 2 4 4 4- 6 0
68 Scott Canelas Pelham, NH 0 0 0- 0 4 4 4- 4 0
69 Jacobo Jaen Cordoba SPAIN 1 1 2- 0 2 2 4- 3 0
70 Ray Pasquarelli Warwick, RI 1 1 1- 9 2 2 4- 2 0
71 Corey Horelick Uncasville, CT 2 2 4- 1 2 2 4- 1 0
72 David Iglesias Marcos Salamanca SPAIN 3 3 4- 0 3 3 4- 0 0
73 John Volkernick Dixfield, ME 3 3 3-15 3 3 3-15 0
74 Rafael Diaz Gonzalez Rivasvacia Madrid S 0 0 0- 0 3 3 3-15 0
75 Stephen Goulette St. Albans, VT 0 0 0- 0 2 2 3-14 0
76 Robert Ramasci Wakefield, MA 0 0 0- 0 2 2 3-13 0
77 Brian Croteau Blackstone, MA 1 1 0-12 3 3 3-11 0
78 Duane Gonsalves Toronto Ontario CAN 2 2 3- 9 2 2 3- 9 0
79 Chris Johnson Dingmans Ferry, PA 0 0 0- 0 3 3 3- 8 0
80 Brian Volkernick Dixfield, ME 2 2 3- 3 2 2 3- 3 0
81 Oliver Cesar Baron Rubi SPAIN 1 1 1- 0 2 2 3- 3 0
82 Leonard Potts Syracuse, NY 0 0 0- 0 2 2 3- 3 0
83 Javier Abadamo Castellar SPAIN 0 0 0- 0 2 2 3- 2 0
84 Brendan Webb Sherborn, MA 2 2 3- 1 2 2 3- 1 0
85 David Tsao Newburyport, MA 0 0 0- 0 1 1 3- 0 0
86 Timothy Rivet Pascoag, RI 0 0 0- 0 2 2 2-15 0
87 Clayton Grimm Mechanic Falls, ME 0 0 0- 0 2 2 2-14 0
88 Jose Manuel Iglesias G salamanca SPAIN 1 1 1-12 2 2 2-14 0
89 Erin Divelbiss Randolph, VT 0 0 0- 0 1 1 2-11 0
90 Javier Recio Casal Madrid SPAIN 0 0 0- 0 1 1 2-10 0
91 George Saliba Lakefield CANADA 0 0 0- 0 2 2 2- 9 0
92 Michael Kimball Amherst, ME 0 0 0- 0 2 2 2- 5 0
93 Travis Rockett Intervale, NH 1 1 2- 0 1 1 2- 0 0
94 Bryan McCleary Watertown, CT 0 0 0- 0 2 2 1-15 0
95 Jon Zera Newington, CT 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1-15 0
96 Ken Bracy Mexico, NY 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1-13 0
97 Jacob Cerretto Rochester, NY 1 1 1-10 1 1 1-10 0
97 Patrick Soares Candia , NH 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1-10 0
99 John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT 1 1 1- 7 1 1 1- 7 0
99 Joe Perez Hooksett, NH 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1- 7 0
101 Oscar Iglesias Marcos Salamanca SPAIN 1 1 1- 6 1 1 1- 6 0
101 Jay Menard S. Burlington, VT 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1- 6 0
101 Mario Villegas North Kingstown, RI 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1- 6 0
104 David LeBlanc Springfield, NH 1 1 1- 4 1 1 1- 4 0
104 Benjamin Seaman Colchester, VT 1 1 1- 4 1 1 1- 4 0
106 Lewis Mendall Wrentham, MA 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1- 3 0
107 David Johnson Plainfield, CT 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1- 0 0
108 Tomas Giannini Toronto Ontario CAN 1 1 0-14 1 1 0-14 0
108 Robert Philbrook Portland, ME 0 0 0- 0 1 1 0-14 0
110 Jonathan Curran Kennebunk, ME 1 1 0-12 1 1 0-12 0
111 Michael Ball Lisbon, ME 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Jason Barker Eganville Ontario C 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Lucas Micael Cadieux Highgate, VT 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Rose Jeffries Rouses Point, NY 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Jack Montgomery Madison, NH 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Mark Morrison Utopia Ontario CANA 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Andrew Palmacci Danvers, MA 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Jim Rockett Intervale, NH 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Jesus Santos Cordoba SPAIN 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Scott Shaw Elmvale ONTARIO CAN 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Nicholas Sokolowski Central Square, NY 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Adam Swirzewski Newington, CT 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Christopher Voldock Eganville Ontario C 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Ernest Weathersby Somerville, MA 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
111 Noah Scott Winslow Nawgatuck, CT 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0 0
BIG BASS TOTALS
Day Name City,State Lbs-Oz Day # Fish # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits
1 Scott Barker Gray, ME 4- 5 1 176 176 300-13 4
2 Joe Matt Syracuse, NY 4-11 2 130 130 213- 5 2
3 Keith Aucoin Hollis, ME 5-10 3 151 151 239- 0 4
BFN Eastern Division Championship
9/12/2012 - 9/14/2012
Mystic/Charles River - Mystic Wellington Yacht Club
TEAM STANDINGS DAY 3
Today's Activity Accumulative
Name # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz
1 MASSACHUSETTS 22 64 36-11 64 64 101-13
2 CONNECTICUT 20 57 30- 2 57 57 98-15
3 RHODE ISLAND 20 62 30-12 62 62 95- 0
4 VERMONT 15 47 23- 8 47 47 91- 5
5 NEW YORK 15 58 20-14 58 58 89- 0
6 MAINE 14 45 28- 4 45 45 83- 5
7 ONTARIO 17 47 25-14 47 47 70- 3
8 NEW HAMPSHIRE 16 45 21- 9 45 45 67-15
9 SPAIN 12 32 21- 6 32 32 55-10