On a beautiful mid-summer day, an anxious field of Federation anglers took to Lake Hopatcong on July 28 to compete in the second event of the season. What set up as a close affair as weights at Hopatcong tend to bunch together, turned into a runaway on the Boater side. However, the Co-Angler Division came down to the last angler to weigh in and one ounce.

The winner of the Boater side with a stout limit weighing 14.61 pounds was Greg Oliva of the Berkshire Valley Bassmasters. Oliva’s weight was enough to win the event by over two and one-half pounds and he happily collected the $2,000 Boater Division first prize and plaque.

Second place on the Boater side went to Scott Weiland of the Blazin Bass with five fish weighing 12.99 pounds. Close behind in third place was Nick Angiulo of the Big D Valley Bassmasters with 12.63 pounds.

The Co-Angler Division was a tense affair. The first co-angler to weigh in was Mike Keller of the Blazin Bass chapter. His four fish for 8.52 pounds held the top spot right up until the final co-angler weighed in. That co-angler, Brian Snowman of the Quickfire Bassmasters broke Keller’s heart when he weighed in a five-fish limit weighing 8.59 pounds, enough to take the Co-Angler Division and the $1,250 top prize.

The lunker awards for the event went to Dan McGarry in the Boater Division with a beautiful 5.18 pound largemouth. The Co-Angler lunker went to Chris Miller with a 3.10 pound largemouth.

Don’t forget to register for the last event to be held on August 11 on the might Delaware River. Boater Division first prize is a guaranteed $2,000 and Co-Angler Division first prize is a guaranteed $1,250.

ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT TO REGISTER

 Lake Hopatcong Registration Reminder

Our second point event of the is nearly here!  Don’t miss the July 28 event on our State’s largest lake, Lake Hopatcong.  The guaranteed Boater Division first prize is $2,000 and the guaranteed Co-Angler Division first prize is $1,250. Co-anglers, remember that when you enter, if you identify a Boater as your link, you are guaranteed entry in the event (make sure you check with the Boater first to ensure he is entering). Without a Boater link, you may be put on the waiting list.

The registration deadline is 11:59 p.m. on July 19.

To register online, go to https://njbassfederation.com/online-registration/

Remember you must be a member of either the New Jersey Bass Federation or another TBF-affiliate state’s federation to be eligible to enter.

Also, don’t forget our last point event of the season, the August 11 Delaware River event.  The deadline to register for that event is August 9.

Ever been in a multiple day tournament where all anglers brought in full limits each day? Well, most who fished in the NJBF’s first point event of the season on June 22 and 23 at Saratoga Lake had not either . . . However, every participant made it to the scales with five-fish limits each day (one co-angler did not fish Day 2 as he was ill). With that many fished weighed, you would expect a close finish in each division. That was not the case. Instead, two anglers clearly pulled away in each Division to take the victories.

First place in the Boater Division was Vern Gatson who started the event right with almost 18 pounds on Day 1 and had just over 14 pounds on Day 2 to win the event by over four full pounds! His total weight was 31.92 pounds.

Second place in the Boater Division went to Nick Diamandas, Jr., of the Berkshire Valley Bassmasters who weighed in 27.91 pounds. Third place Boater was Rich Schneidereit with 26.01 pounds.

The winning Co-Angler, Joe Sodora, of the Blazin Bass chapter, busted a 14 pound limit on Day 1 and cruised to the victory by almost three pounds. His total weight was 25.05 pounds. The next two anglers, Brian Snowman and Kevin Collins, posted identical two-day totals of 22.19 pounds.

The next event is at Lake Hopatcong on July 28.