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Team Bourque Double-Dip in Victory

Thursday, October 27, 2011

October 15 &16 2011 Massachusetts Regional

By Billy “Hawkeye Decoteau

Qualifying for their fourth consecutive USA Bassin 2-Day New England Regional Championship, Massachusetts Marc Bourque and his son Zach managed to outdistance their fellow competitors on Day#1 with an impressive 4.62 lb margin. “No doubt our Day#1 6.14 lb Lunker Largemouth anchoring our 5-bass limit of 14.32 lbs made all of the difference!” said Marc Bourque. Adding quickly, “However, Cochituate Lake can be very tough and we still have another tournament day tomorrow.”

Idling in second place with 9.68 lbs after Day#1, Connecticut’s Jason Swiantek and Henry Lingren were amassed at the number of quality largemouth bass brought to the scales. “We really struggled today trying to put together a 5-bass limit,” acknowledged Swaintek. “Our last keeper was a 4 lb largemouth and we thought for certain it would be the Day#1 Lunker?”

According to local bass anglers attending the weigh-ins, the Regional contenders too amassed them at the number of quality largemouth bass brought to the scales. Known as the ‘Mayor’ of the Cochituate ramp, the life long lake front resident replied, “I counted twelve teams with a 5-bass limit, and another twelve individual large bass that would normally have won the Lunker Pool at any given Cochituate Bass Tournament!”

Although, most anglers were tight lipped, when it came to revealing their Day#1 techniques, on-the-water cameras captured several productive patterns. Scott Ames slowed down his approach, finding a jig was the key to enticing his big bass bite. “I thought the windy conditions would turn the bass unto a spinnerbait bite? But, I never got bit so I switched up to a jig and pig combination.” Working areas with a combination of rocks and grass, Ames new technique proved productive. Ending the day in third place, Ames 3-bass weighed in at 9.06 lbs, anchored with a 5.62 lb largemouth.

In multi-day bass tournaments consistency is the key to success. Five teams demonstrated their ability to consistently do so on Day#1. Massachusetts Team Joyce brought in an 8.11 lb 5-bass limit on Day #1 securing a 4th place position heading into Day#2. In fifth were Connecticut’s Mike Yawgel and Dino Mountugiannis with 8.06 lbs. Connecticut’s Ben Petitpas (Competing alone.) carried 5-bass to the scales weighing 7.33 lbs. “I caught at least fifteen bass today flipping a green pumpkin Sweet Beaver. And, found myself culling for ounces all day long!” 

Massachusetts Mike Holt and Peter McAllister won the Massachusetts Divisional Lake Cochituate tournament earlier in the year. “The cold front and rainy weather has certainly caused a lock-jaw effect on the bass. We only culled a few times today, and never caught a bass over two pounds.” Holt and McAllister carried 7.19 lbs to the scales landing them in 7th place heading into the final day. Only .04 lbs behind them idled Keith Wilson and Pat Chapin. Always a threat to win any tournament they enter, Wilson and Chapin managed an early 5-bass limit. Caught on camera flipping 5/16-ounce jigs and weightless Senko’s, the Massachusetts Team entice only one bass bite over two pounds increasing their limit to 7.15 lbs.

Reversing the two flights of teams by numeric order, Day#2 started with slightly less windy conditions. Scattered throughout Cochituate’s three interconnecting lakes, the USA Bassin New England Regional contenders worked a variety of water depths in hope of assembling a double-digit 5-bass limit.

As the camera boat made their way into North Pond they caught up with Connecticut’s Marc and Ed Butkevich. Answering the typical question, “How are you doing?” Team Butkevich replied, “We have one largemouth and it weighs about four pounds.” When the scales were finally closed on Day#2 Connecticut’s Team Butkevich’s 4.15 lb largemouth claimed the Day#2 Lunker Award, but it would also be the only bass they caught all day long!

A windy boat ride around North Pond revealed only a few teams chose the northern section to target their bass. USA Marine’s Gary Walker and son Kyle were found working jigs and Shakey Head baits in a secluded cove. “We just landed our first bass in about 12-15 feet along a break line,” revealed Gary Walker. Placing their bass into their Nitro livewells, Gary pitched jigs to shallow shoreline cover, while Kyle worked a Shakey Head in deeper water.

Cochituate’s weedy Middle Pond seemed to be occupied by the fields’ larger bass boats? “We went into South Pond briefly yesterday. However, the higher water condition makes it very difficult for larger bass boats to pass through the narrow tunnel into South Pond,” suggested Mike Holt and Peter McAllister. 

With the first flight of boats approaching the drive-thru weigh-in, the scales quickly revealed just how active Cochituate’s largemouth bass were. Day#1 leader Team Bourque were in the first flight and acknowledged the difficulty they had on the water. “We never were able to get that fifth keeper bass we needed for a limit. And, the four bass we did catch don’t weigh very much,” replied Marc Bourque as the weigh-Master called out “Four Bass 4.81 lbs!” Continuing Bourque revealed, “Massachusetts Divisional Champions Chris Blais and Dave Dardanelli are in the second flight today. I know they were on bass all day and from what I hear they have a double-digit limit?”

Teams Bourque’s announcement of a double-digit limit proved to be true as Blais and Dardanelli weighed in 5-bass at10.00 lbs, anchored with a 3.18 lb largemouth. When the scales were officially closed Marc and Zach Bourque’s two-day total of 19.13 lbs gave them a winning margin of 3.52 lbs, in the overall 2-Day Regional Championship. While, their competition in the separate Adult/Youth category victory was an astonishing 8.79 lbs ahead of Scott Ames and his son Benjamin’s 10.34 lb two-day total.

“I will remember this day for the rest of my life,” said Marc Bourque as he and Zach received their $1,000.00 check, two-pair of WileyX Sunglasses, and two USA Bassin Massachusetts Regional Championship Plaques. Then with a huge round of applauds and whistles from their fellow competitors and fans Team Bourque was awarded the Grizz Baits 2011 New England Regional Championship Adult/Youth Plaque Award.

Holding back tears of joy, Team Bourque revealed their winning techniques and baits. “Zach and I were honored to win the Grizz Baits New England Top Adult/Youth Award two-years ago on Sebago Lake. Since then we have faithfully utilized Grizz Baits. However, what makes receiving the Grizz Baits Massachusetts New England Regional Award this time so gratifying (Pausing)…………all of our bass were caught on Grizz Jigs!

God Bless and Best Bass’n