WADDINGTON, N.Y. — Doug Brownridge followed up his massive 24-pound, 5-ounce bag on Day 1 of the 2014 B.A.S.S. Nation Eastern Divisional with one that weighed 24-2, extending his lead in the tournament on the St. Lawrence River to nearly 6 pounds.
“I’m still not comfortable yet,” said Brownridge, a member of the Mississauga Bassmasters in the Ontario B.A.S.S. Nation. “I’m going to have to fish hard all day tomorrow.”
The Canadian angler shows no signs of slowing down, though. He caught most of his fish in the same place on Day 2 as he did on Day 1, leaving him plenty of areas to pick apart on the final day.
“I dropped a horse today, though,” said Brownridge, referring to a big fish he lost. It’s not the only one, either: He lost a couple on the first day, as well. “That one was a monster. If I had gotten that one, I’d be much better off.”
Still, Brownridge said he figured out something today that he thinks will help him on the final day. And he’ll have to work hard early on Day 3. “My smallmouth bite just shuts down around 10 o’clock,” he said. “I’ve got to really get them in the morning.”
Brownridge has 48 pounds, 7 ounces for two days. His closest competitor is Rob Messenger of New Hampshire with 42-14. Messenger was also the runner-up on Day 1.
Brownridge and Messenger are currently among the team leaders slated to qualify for the 2014 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Nov. 6-8, on the Ouachita River in Monroe, La. The top angler on each team advances there, and one competitor from each of the six divisions will earn a coveted berth in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic. Other team leaders are Paul Mueller, Connecticut; James Moorey, Massachusetts; Chuck Towns, Maine; Ken Golub, New York; Leo Bevelaqua, Rhode Island; Russell Phillips, Vermont; and Carlos Perez Zamorano, Spain.
Several anglers made big moves on Day 2 thanks to adjustments they made. A few others who had 20-plus-pound bags on the first day came in with scant weights on the second. But almost all of the competitors who are doing well said they expect their fish to hold up on Day 3.
“I have not scratched the surface,” said Golub, who has brought in two 20-plus sacks in a row. “I’ve saved all of them for tomorrow. There are anglers fishing all around me, and I’ve been playing dumb, skipping over those fish. But I’m going to clean out those holes tomorrow.”
The fish don’t seem to be slowing down. The average weight for Day 2 held steady at nearly 3 pounds, just like on Day 1. Most of the field caught limits of five bass, and six 20-plus-pound bags were brought in on Day 2, compared to eight on the first day. One of those big bags was brought in by high school anglers Cooper Gallant and Danny McGarry of the Ontario B.A.S.S. Nation. The young anglers brought in the second-largest bag of the day, 23 pounds, 13 ounces.
“The smallmouth have been hitting a lot of different lures,” Gallant said. “They’re pretty aggressive.”
Gallant and McGarry are part of the B.A.S.S. High School division that competes alongside the adults for the final two days of the tournament. Each B.A.S.S. Nation team sends two high schoolers to the divisional, who go out with an adult team member who serves as their coach.
“We hope we can duplicate that tomorrow,” Gallant said.
In the state team competition, the Connecticut B.A.S.S. Nation overtook the lead from New York, but it’s too close to call. Connecticut has a cumulative weight of 358 pounds, 8 ounces, and New York has 357 pounds, 14 ounces. Ontario is third with 337-14. The team with the most weight at the end of Day 3 wins a Skeeter/Yamaha boat and motor package worth $40,000. The leader of the Carhartt Big Bass competition is a tie. James Hanatow of New Hampshire brought in a 6-0 bass on Day 1, and his teammate, Michael McNamara, weighed in one the same size on Day 2. Carhartt awards $500 to the winner, and in the event of a tie, the anglers will split the winnings. Brownridge wins the Livingston Lures Leader Award for being the leader on the second day. His award is $250. Brownridge also still has the biggest bag of the tournament, his 24-5 from Day 1.
Competition at the Eastern Divisional resumes tomorrow at 6:30 a.m. ET at Whittaker Park in Waddington. Competition concludes Friday, Sept. 26, after the weigh-in, which begins at 2:30 p.m. ET.
2014 BASS Nation Eastern Divisional 9/24-9/26
St. Lawrence River, Waddington NY.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts
1. Doug Brownridge Milton ONTARIO CANADA ( 10 48-07 0
2. Rob Messenger Sunapee, NH (NH) 10 42-14 0
3. Ken Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY (NY) 10 42-13 0
4. Christopher Killoren Marcellus, NY (NY) 10 40-02 0
5. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT (CT) 10 39-08 0
6. Leo Bevelaqua Wyoming, RI (RI) 10 39-06 0
7. Dennis Sikorski Bozrah, CT (CT) 10 35-06 0
8. Brad Brodnicki Buffalo, NY (NY) 10 35-02 0
9. Abe Kalechman Ashford, CT (CT) 10 34-10 0
10. Russell Phillips Guilford, VT (VT) 10 34-06 0
11. Mark Rorke St Cathrines ONTARIO CA 10 34-05 0
12. Todd Covert Port Crane, NY (NY) 10 34-03 0
13. Pete Demoya Plymouth, MA (NH) 10 33-09 0
14. Kevin Rose Jr Anniston, CT (CT) 10 33-07 0
15. Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY (NY) 10 33-04 0
16. Carlos Perez Zamorano Madrid SPAIN (ESP) 10 33-01 0
17. John Hinckley Cumberland, RI (RI) 10 32-12 0
18. Bill Kuslaka Windham, NH (NH) 10 32-04 0
19. Skip Sjobeck Randolph, VT (VT) 10 32-00 0
20. Mark Cavanaugh Port Perry CANADA (ONT) 10 31-15 0
21. Tim Birch Waterloo ONTARIO CANADA 9 31-04 0
22. Chuck Towns Readfield, ME (ME) 10 30-12 0
23. David Maiorano Clinton, CT (CT) 8 30-11 0
24. David Dziob Meriden, CT (CT) 10 30-11 0
25. Scott Downie Danbury , CT (CT) 9 30-11 0
26. Joe Valerio Red Creek, NY (NY) 10 30-04 0
27. Jonathan Case Swanton, VT (VT) 10 30-03 0
28. James Moorey Whitinsville, MA (MA) 10 29-09 0
29. Chris Molineaux Hope Valley, RI (RI) 10 28-10 0
30. James Knox Rutland, VT (VT) 10 28-07 0
31. Eric Corbella Salvia Mollerusa SPAIN (ESP) 10 28-05 0
32. Chris O'Brien Rochester, NY (NY) 10 28-04 0
33. Garrett Kruger Monroe, CT (CT) 10 28-00 0
34. Charles Sim Ottawa CANADA (ONT) 9 27-15 0
35. George Puskar Peekskill, NY (NY) 8 27-13 0
36. Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA (MA) 10 27-12 0
37. Ricardo Rodriguez Gonzalez S Vicente D Alcantara S 10 27-10 0
38. Adrian Torres Embid Zaragoza SPAIN (ESP) 10 26-09 0
39. Luis Vilar Patino Castellon SPAIN (ESP) 9 26-06 0
40. John Diaco Rochester, NH (NH) 9 26-06 0
41. George Cooper Buxton, ME (ME) 10 26-04 0
42. Chuck Sturtevant NoChihenden, VT (VT) 9 26-04 0
43. Dan Tavilla Clelmsford, MA (MA) 10 25-15 0
44. James Hanatow Alstead, NH (NH) 7 25-14 0
45. Michael McNamara Milford, NH (NH) 9 25-13 0
46. Farris Deroma Newton, NJ (NY) 10 25-09 0
47. John Levesque Nashua, NH (NH) 10 25-02 0
48. Reed Johnson Farmington, CT (CT) 9 25-00 0
49. Matt Poissant Alburg, VT (VT) 10 25-00 0
50. Fernando Lay talaurea del reina SPA 10 24-11 0
51. Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI (RI) 9 24-08 0
52. Sheron Brown Ayer, MA (MA) 8 24-08 0
53. Scott Guimond Sebago, ME (ME) 10 24-07 0
54. Frank Ramsay Ingleside ONTARIO CANAD 10 24-03 0
55. John Shpack Attleboro, MA (MA) 9 23-14 0
56. HS ON - McGarry Gallant Bowmanville CANADA (ONT 5 23-13 0
57. John Lamour Harrowsmith CANADA (ONT 7 23-12 0
58. Joseba Miquel vitoria SPAIN (ESP) 9 23-11 0
59. Brian Kelly Liverpool, NY (NY) 10 23-07 0
60. Des Barnes Aurora CANADA (ONT) 8 23-06 0
61. Brian Jarvis Warwick , RI (RI) 8 23-03 0
62. Allan Smith Litchfield, NH (NH) 6 22-12 0
63. Ramiro Ruben Tarazona Sicilia Tarazona SPAIN (ESP) 10 22-11 0
64. Michael Elliott Chelmsford, MA (MA) 8 22-09 0
65. David Frey West Warwick, RI (RI) 8 21-14 0
66. Pete Garnier Lindsey ONTARIO CANADA 8 21-07 0
67. Rick Landry Hudson, NH (NH) 9 21-06 0
68. Keith Lee Avon, CT (CT) 10 20-13 0
69. Dwayne Turnage Hollis, ME (ME) 7 20-08 0
70. John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT (VT) 7 20-07 0
71. Jay Guidaboni Plymouth, MA (MA) 7 19-12 0
72. Paul LeBlanc Medway, MA (MA) 7 19-11 0
73. Ernesto Gonzalez Garcia S Vicente De Alcantara 7 19-08 0
74. John Carmen Norfolk, MA (MA) 8 19-06 0
75. Kevin Noel Burlington, CT (CT) 6 19-01 0
76. Chris Guncheon Warwick, RI (RI) 9 19-00 0
77. Steve Wilson East Waterboro, ME (ME) 9 18-11 0
78. Ricky Turczak Housatonic, MA (MA) 6 18-10 0
79. Scott McKay Mendon, VT (VT) 5 18-01 0
80. Mark Lodge Alfred, ME (ME) 7 17-09 0
81. Kevin Busch Vienna, ME (ME) 8 16-15 0
82. Jamie Janzen St Catherines ONTARIO C 7 16-11 0
83. Ruben Corbella Salvia Mollerusa SPAIN (ESP) 6 16-09 0
84. David Riley North Attleboro, MA (RI 6 16-06 0
85. HS NY - Arndt Clay, NY (NY) 5 15-13 0
86. Scott Barker Gray, ME (ME) 6 15-12 0
87. Jim Lynch Bomoseen, VT (VT) 6 15-11 0
88. Joe Holland Jefferson, ME (ME) 4 15-10 0
89. Bruce Leeson Port Rowan ONTARIO CANA 7 15-07 0
90. Harry Gordon WATERBURY, CT (CT) 6 15-06 0
91. Larry MacPhail Kingston Ontario CANADA 5 15-05 0
92. HS CT - Marino / Winslow Naugatuck, CT (CT) 5 15-04 0
93. HS NH - Farrington Sterritt Newfields, NH (NH) 5 15-02 0
94. Steven Conde Chepachet, RI (RI) 6 15-02 0
95. Eloy Fernandez Jofre L'Ametlla Del Valles SP 6 15-01 0
96. HS RI - Bestwick Sampson N Stonington, CT (RI) 5 14-15 0
97. Chris Adams Concord, NH (NH) 6 14-05 0
98. William Wright Whiting, VT (VT) 5 13-15 0
99. Shawn Grover Biddeford, ME (ME) 5 13-08 0
100. Steven Worden Cumberland, RI (RI) 6 13-04 0
101. Ronald Bestwick Grisword, CT (RI) 5 12-11 0
102. Scott Laliberty Sabaltus, ME (ME) 4 12-06 0
103. HS MA - McQuade Jaskolski Dudley, MA (MA) 4 12-03 0
104. HS VT - Gaudette Seaman Colchester, VT (VT) 5 11-11 0
105. Peter Knight Fulton, NY (NY) 6 11-02 0
106. Matthew Breach Douglas, MA (MA) 4 10-13 0
107. Robert Hegyi Wales, MA (MA) 4 10-09 0
108. Javier Guillen Cordoba Tarragona SPAIN (ESP) 6 10-07 0
109. Chris Mann Cornish, VT (VT) 5 10-06 0
110. Donnie Staszczyk Cheetowaga, NY (NY) 5 10-02 0
111. Michael Abernathy Coventry, RI (RI) 4 09-06 0
112. Justin Spraske Swanzey, NH (NH) 4 08-00 0
113. Kevin Miller Merrimack, NH (NH) 3 07-13 0
114. John Grondin Scarborough, ME (ME) 2 05-08 0
115. HS ME - Rodgers Williamson Gorham, ME (ME) 1 03-03 0
116. James Jeffries Rouses Point, NY (VT) 0 00-00 0
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 64 433 1264-14
2 69 466 1388-15
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133 899 2653-13
TEAM STANDINGS Day 2
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State Lbs-Oz
1 CONNECTICUT 358-08
2 NEW YORK 357-14
3 ONTARIO 337-14
4 NEW HAMPSHIRE 301-04
5 SPAIN 274-09
6 RHODE ISLAND 271-01
7 VERMONT 266-07
8 MASSACHUSETTS 265-03
9 MAINE 221-01
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 2
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CONNECTICUT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 39-08 0
2 Dennis Sikorski Bozrah, CT 10 35-06 0
3 Abe Kalechman Ashford, CT 10 34-10 0
4 Kevin Rose Jr Anniston, CT 10 33-07 0
5 David Maiorano Clinton, CT 8 30-11 0
6 David Dziob Meriden, CT 10 30-11 0
7 Scott Downie Danbury , CT 9 30-11 0
8 Garrett Kruger Monroe, CT 10 28-00 0
9 Reed Johnson Farmington, CT 9 25-00 0
10 Keith Lee Avon, CT 10 20-13 0
11 Kevin Noel Burlington, CT 6 19-01 0
12 Harry Gordon WATERBURY, CT 6 15-06 0
13 HS CT - Marino / Winslow Naugatuck, CT 5 15-04 0
MASSACHUSETTS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 James Moorey Whitinsville, MA 10 29-09 0
2 Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA 10 27-12 0
3 Dan Tavilla Clelmsford, MA 10 25-15 0
4 Sheron Brown Ayer, MA 8 24-08 0
5 John Shpack Attleboro, MA 9 23-14 0
6 Michael Elliott Chelmsford, MA 8 22-09 0
7 Jay Guidaboni Plymouth, MA 7 19-12 0
8 Paul LeBlanc Medway, MA 7 19-11 0
9 John Carmen Norfolk, MA 8 19-06 0
10 Ricky Turczak Housatonic, MA 6 18-10 0
11 HS MA - McQuade Jaskolski Dudley, MA 4 12-03 0
12 Matthew Breach Douglas, MA 4 10-13 0
13 Robert Hegyi Wales, MA 4 10-09 0
MAINE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Chuck Towns Readfield, ME 10 30-12 0
2 George Cooper Buxton, ME 10 26-04 0
3 Scott Guimond Sebago, ME 10 24-07 0
4 Dwayne Turnage Hollis, ME 7 20-08 0
5 Steve Wilson East Waterboro, ME 9 18-11 0
6 Mark Lodge Alfred, ME 7 17-09 0
7 Kevin Busch Vienna, ME 8 16-15 0
8 Scott Barker Gray, ME 6 15-12 0
9 Joe Holland Jefferson, ME 4 15-10 0
10 Shawn Grover Biddeford, ME 5 13-08 0
11 Scott Laliberty Sabaltus, ME 4 12-06 0
12 John Grondin Scarborough, ME 2 05-08 0
13 HS ME - Rodgers Williamson Gorham, ME 1 03-03 0
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Rob Messenger Sunapee, NH 10 42-14 0
2 Pete Demoya Plymouth, MA 10 33-09 0
3 Bill Kuslaka Windham, NH 10 32-04 0
4 John Diaco Rochester, NH 9 26-06 0
5 James Hanatow Alstead, NH 7 25-14 0
6 Michael McNamara Milford, NH 9 25-13 0
7 John Levesque Nashua, NH 10 25-02 0
8 Allan Smith Litchfield, NH 6 22-12 0
9 Rick Landry Hudson, NH 9 21-06 0
10 HS NH - Farrington Sterritt Newfields, NH 5 15-02 0
11 Chris Adams Concord, NH 6 14-05 0
12 Justin Spraske Swanzey, NH 4 08-00 0
13 Kevin Miller Merrimack, NH 3 07-13 0
NEW YORK
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Ken Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY 10 42-13 0
2 Christopher Killoren Marcellus, NY 10 40-02 0
3 Brad Brodnicki Buffalo, NY 10 35-02 0
4 Todd Covert Port Crane, NY 10 34-03 0
5 Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY 10 33-04 0
6 Joe Valerio Red Creek, NY 10 30-04 0
7 Chris O'Brien Rochester, NY 10 28-04 0
8 George Puskar Peekskill, NY 8 27-13 0
9 Farris Deroma Newton, NJ 10 25-09 0
10 Brian Kelly Liverpool, NY 10 23-07 0
11 HS NY - Arndt Clay, NY 5 15-13 0
12 Peter Knight Fulton, NY 6 11-02 0
13 Donnie Staszczyk Cheetowaga, NY 5 10-02 0
RHODE ISLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Leo Bevelaqua Wyoming, RI 10 39-06 0
2 John Hinckley Cumberland, RI 10 32-12 0
3 Chris Molineaux Hope Valley, RI 10 28-10 0
4 Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI 9 24-08 0
5 Brian Jarvis Warwick , RI 8 23-03 0
6 David Frey West Warwick, RI 8 21-14 0
7 Chris Guncheon Warwick, RI 9 19-00 0
8 David Riley North Attleboro, MA 6 16-06 0
9 Steven Conde Chepachet, RI 6 15-02 0
10 HS RI - Bestwick Sampson N Stonington, CT 5 14-15 0
11 Steven Worden Cumberland, RI 6 13-04 0
12 Ronald Bestwick Grisword, CT 5 12-11 0
13 Michael Abernathy Coventry, RI 4 09-06 0
VERMONT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Russell Phillips Guilford, VT 10 34-06 0
2 Skip Sjobeck Randolph, VT 10 32-00 0
3 Jonathan Case Swanton, VT 10 30-03 0
4 James Knox Rutland, VT 10 28-07 0
5 Chuck Sturtevant NoChihenden, VT 9 26-04 0
6 Matt Poissant Alburg, VT 10 25-00 0
7 John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT 7 20-07 0
8 Scott McKay Mendon, VT 5 18-01 0
9 Jim Lynch Bomoseen, VT 6 15-11 0
10 William Wright Whiting, VT 5 13-15 0
11 HS VT - Gaudette Seaman Colchester, VT 5 11-11 0
12 Chris Mann Cornish, VT 5 10-06 0
13 James Jeffries Rouses Point, NY 0 00-00 0
ONTARIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Doug Brownridge Milton ONTARIO CANADA 10 48-07 0
2 Mark Rorke St Cathrines ONTARIO CA 10 34-05 0
3 Mark Cavanaugh Port Perry CANADA 10 31-15 0
4 Tim Birch Waterloo ONTARIO CANADA 9 31-04 0
5 Charles Sim Ottawa CANADA 9 27-15 0
6 Frank Ramsay Ingleside ONTARIO CANAD 10 24-03 0
7 HS ON - McGarry Gallant Bowmanville CANADA 5 23-13 0
8 John Lamour Harrowsmith CANADA 7 23-12 0
9 Des Barnes Aurora CANADA 8 23-06 0
10 Pete Garnier Lindsey ONTARIO CANADA 8 21-07 0
11 Jamie Janzen St Catherines ONTARIO C 7 16-11 0
12 Bruce Leeson Port Rowan ONTARIO CANA 7 15-07 0
13 Larry MacPhail Kingston Ontario CANADA 5 15-05 0
SPAIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz
1 Carlos Perez Zamorano Madrid SPAIN 10 33-01 0
2 Eric Corbella Salvia Mollerusa SPAIN 10 28-05 0
3 Ricardo Rodriguez Gonzalez S Vicente D Alcantara S 10 27-10 0
4 Adrian Torres Embid Zaragoza SPAIN 10 26-09 0
5 Luis Vilar Patino Castellon SPAIN 9 26-06 0
6 Fernando Lay talaurea del reina SPA 10 24-11 0
7 Joseba Miquel vitoria SPAIN 9 23-11 0
8 Ramiro Ruben Tarazona Sicilia Tarazona SPAIN 10 22-11 0
9 Ernesto Gonzalez Garcia S Vicente De Alcantara 7 19-08 0
10 Ruben Corbella Salvia Mollerusa SPAIN 6 16-09 0
11 Eloy Fernandez Jofre L'Ametlla Del Valles SP 6 15-01 0
12 Javier Guillen Cordoba Tarragona SPAIN 6 10-07 0