The first NJBF event of the season saw a field of 29 teams take to New Jersey’s Lake Hopatcong with hopes of starting the year with a bang.
As is often the case in early spring, fishing is fickle, often dependent on weather patterns and moon phases. Overall, the fishing was spotty, with some teams finding good numbers of fish, while other teams struggled.
The winner of the event, Tom Gilroy, fishing solo, posted a solid five-fish limit weighing 14.77 pounds, enough to take the first prize of $2,740 by over one pound.
Second place also went to an angler fishing alone as his usual partner could not make the event. That angler, Ron Schneider, had a solid mixed five-fish limit of largemouth and smallmouth weighing 13,40 pounds. He received the second-place check of $1,420.
Third place went to another “team” missing one of its anglers. Al Pallavicini held up his end by posting five fish weighing 12.84 pounds, worth $790. Fourth place (by 0.01 pounds over fifth) went to the brother team of Wally and Shawn Peer with 11.98 pounds. They received $530.
The lunker for the event, a 4.50 largemouth was caught by the team of Dave Williams and Desmond Byfield. That one fish was worth $560.The next event is fast approaching. It is May 3 on the Northern Chesapeake Bay. It could be epic. REGISTER EARLY!
