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| Checking in |
I can’t believe that we are looking in the rear view at yet another pickle that has come and gone! I think most would agree that the 2015 event was our best pickle yet!
This year we had 134 anglers on 63 teams, which was a nice jump from 117 anglers in 2014. The weather cooperated with a stellar day on Saturday, but completely fell to pieces on Saturday night into Sunday, with the heaviest rain falling right smack in the middle of fishing hours! I was really impressed with the number of anglers that, not only toughed it out on Sunday, but actually put some decent points on the board despite the harsh conditions.
We moved our awards venue to the Lakewood Barn this year and it’s a darn good thing we did! That place was perfect for the awards BBQ! We have already reserved it for next year’s pickle and we’ll be having the 2016 event catered as well.
We gave away close to $14,000 in prizes and the value of the captains bags was pushing $100 this year! Once again, the custom DPC Tunaskin shirts were a huge hit! It's always great to see guys instantly open their captains bags and throw them on!
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| Big'ole pile of Tunaskin |
On the winners’ podium we had our first ever repeat DPC win by Jeff Faulkner and John Cooper from team Imbassiles (50 team points)! John and Jeff each took home a Rock River Rods “Lug” Pro Model and an Orvis Hydros Bass Line. John Cooper also took home the DPC trophy and Jackson Kilroy Kayak for his second year in a row with 27 individual points! Big congrats to John and Jeff on another great showing…Two great guys that deserve every bit of their success!
Second place team went to Jay Modry and Matt Dickstein of Carpe Carpium with 39 team points. These guys are also no strangers to the podium and each took home a pair of Julbo Sunglasses and Mountain Khakis gift cards. Jay Modry of Carpe Carpium also took home a Redington Voyant Outfit for taking 2nd place individual angler with 23 points(tie-breaker).
Our 3rd place team award went to James Kontos and Jeff Dybinski of Gyros & Perogies with 36 team points. These guys were awarded Orvis Hydros Bass Lines and Mountain Khakis gift cards worth $75 a pop!
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| Pickle Stick Production |
Jeff Faulkner of team Imbassiles took 3rd place individual angler with 23 points(tie-breaker) and also went home with an Orvis Hydros Bass Line.
This year’s Big Pickle also came down to a tie-breaker of 2 largemouth bass that each measured the same 20.5”. In the end, it was Jim Anderson of team Swedish Pimples that took home the Big Pickle Pool totaling $1,240!!
In the paddle division, John Dzeidzic of Kosher Dills took home the win with 17 points and is now the proud owner of a brandy new Sunny Brook Landing Net!
Our first ever youth division winner was Cayden Theberge of River Rats. Cayden went home with an Orvis Hydros Bass Line and a Howler Bros. gift card.
Susan Bulmer of team Hope on the Rise took the smallest bass category with a less than 4” smallie! Susan won a fly box and midge assortment courtesy of Green Mountain Troutfitters.
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| Awards at the Lakewood Barn |
Our exotic category winner was Mark Covey of Casting Coveys with a 27.5” bowfin caught on one of his son, Caleb’s flies! Nicely done!
The largest northern pike was caught by Brian Lang of team Bassking in the Sun. His pike came in at 30” and was decided by tie-breaker. Brian went home with an awesome 10 weight, Redington Predator.
The breakdown award of $50 went to Chris Gagne who had all sorts of troubles including broken fly rods, dead batteries, a boat that wouldn’t start and an impromptu stumble off the stern amidst an audience of other Picklers.
Finally, the best team name award was back this year by popular demand. The winning team, Just The Tippet took home a couple Orvis Hydros Bass Lines for their creative efforts.
I can’t thank our sponsors enough for their gracious support of this unique event! Never did we think that the DPC would grow to the size it has, yet still maintain it’s grassroots feel with such an amazing field of anglers. We promise to keep the DPC at it’s core a fun weekend on an amazing resource with great friends. We also promise to speak out as a collective voice calling for change within a resource that needs help. In a lake that sees numerous angling tournaments each year, we are the only catch-photo-release event of it’s kind. Of the 304 fish caught by our anglers during the DPC, not a single one is removed from the area it is caught! The DPC represents the future of ethical tournament angling and we only hope that other angling tournaments on the lake will follow suit and lessen their impact on the resource.
Huge thanks to Denise Smith at Friends of Northern Lake Champlain for coming out to raise awareness about her organization! We look forward to working with Denise in the future on clean lake initiatives!
Denise Lynch and Antonia Kontos volunteered their time to serve food at the event and I can’t thank them enough! The value of their help was immeasurable and beyond kind…thanks so much ladies! Also big thanks to Brian and Mark for tag-teaming the grilling scene!
Dave, Brendan and Johnnie worked their magic at the scoring table and that’s no easy task so hats off to those guys for making it look easy!
Please show the love for our sponsors and let them know how much they are appreciated by sending some business their way the next time you need something. Visit these links and soak in what they’re spilling!… Tremendous thanks to Jackson Kayak, Orvis, Nick Mayer Art, Vermont Trout Waters, Rock River Rods, Stream & Brook Fly Fishing, Redington, Green Mountain Troutfitters, Vermont Fly Guys, Whistle Pig Whiskey, American Museum of Fly Fishing, Roland’s Tie By Night, Mountain Khakis, Buff, Pale Morning Media, Howler Bros, The Fly Pack, RepYourWater, Delacroix Lodge, Southern Fly Expeditions, Cheeky, Tunaskin, Sunny Brook Nets and Pat Cohen!
Next year’s Ditch Pickle Classic is set for June 25th/26th so save the date, tell your friends and don’t miss out on some of the most fun of the year!
Best <“(((((><
DPC Pickle Crew
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| John Cooper (Imbassiles) 2015 DPC Champion |
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| Jeff Faulkner (Imbassiles) 1st Place Team |
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| Jay Modry (Carpe Carpium) - 2nd Place Team |
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| Matt Dickstein (Carpe Carpium) - 2nd Place Team |
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| Jeff Dybinski (Gyros & Perogies) - 3rd Place Team |
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| James Kontos (Gyros & Perogies) - 3rd Place Team |
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| Jim Anderson (Swedish Pimples) - Big Pickle 20/5" Largemouth |
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| Susan Bulmer (Hope on the Rise) - Smallest Bass 4" |
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| Marc Covey (Casting Coveys) - Largest Exotic 27.5" Bowfin |
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| John Dzeidzic (Kosher Dills) Top Paddler |
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| Cayden Theberge (River Rats) - Youth Division Champ |
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Brian Lang (Bassking in the Sun) - Largest Northern Pike 30"
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2015 Team Listings...as they roll in...check back frequently...
1. Hope on the Rise
Mary Ward
Susan Bulmer
2. Madame Oars Gentlemen
Carter Glass
Jamie Lament
Brady Zelenka
3. Chubby Chasers
Scott Edwards
Tim Birmingham
4. Old Guys Rule (O.G.R.)
Steve Dobrin
Roland Tremble
5. Go Bass or Go Home
Steve Stanley
Jonathan DeBono
6. The Kosher Dills
John Dziedzic
Dan Dziedzic
7. Bassholes from South Central
Denver Wilson
John Birkheimer
8. BassKing in the Sun
Brian Lang
Shreve Soule
9. Carpe Carpium
Jay Modry
Matt Dickstein
10. Snatch'N'Bass
Chris Gagne
John Stanley
11. Imbassiles
John Cooper
Jeff Faulkner
12. Straight Bass Homie
Peter Nardini
Greg Wawrzonek
13. Casting Covey's
Marc Covey
Caleb Covey
14. Beers, Bass & Alimony Checks
Chris Bernier
John Gamble
Michael Hill
16. Breaking Bass
Austin Coles
Jonathan Rose
17. Life in the Bass Lane
John Trombly
Brandon Trombly
18. Bassackwards
Patrick Sharrow
Jake Borgeson
19. Will Strip For Bass
Dillon Brooker
Dan Russell
20. Dock Blockers
Mike Terrien
Lorenzo LaBrusciano
21. Happy Hookers R&FC
Brandon Weaver
Josh Rossetti
22. Bassman & Robin
Pat Cohen
Dan Lomanto
23. Hogger
Adam Mapes
Logan Mapes
24. Bass to Mouth
Zack Griswold
Dan Romanelli
25. Team RamRod
Dave Underwood
Jon Lindeberg
Tommy Baranowski
26. Basscar
Tom Getz
Brendan Hare
27. Why Knot Hartford
Elliot Thomas
Jeremy Clapp
28. Bass Action Heroes
Andrew Masenas
Sean Moriarty
29. Record Rock Bass
Brendan Barden
Shawn Ricker
30. Gyros & Perogies
Mike Kontos
Jeff Dybinski
James Kontos
31. Anchor Management
Ken Capsey
Kevin Favreau
32. Up The Bass
Mark Collins
Evan Collins
Andrew Costagliola
33. All About That Bass
Ryan Beaulieu
Casey Breeds
34. Inglourious Bassterds
Dylan Snell
Reed Kennedy
35. Infamous Scottish Woulf Cox
Ben Wilcox
Nathan Scott
Michael Woulf
36. The Pissah Bruthas
Josh Clarkin
Ben Clarkin
37. Cheerful Charlie
Matthew Rackliff
Henry Rackliff
38. Just The Tippet
Adam Kornuth
Jamison Haskins
39. Large Mouthed Hookers
Joe White
Matt Kurimai
40. Team Hook Shots
Joe Cermele
Joe Demalderis
Tim Romano
41.River Rats
Noah Gates
Cayden Theberge
42. SwampbASS
Brian Forrest
Brian McAllister
Andy White
43. LL Bass Boys
Barry Parker
Ed Collins
Zach Rabideau
44. Bassectomy
Chris Lynch
Todd Pinkham
45. The Green Mountain Boys
Andrew Pierce
Jon Ams
46. Slab Slayers
Brian Cadoret
Nick Mayer
47. Smoke on the Water
Chris Samson
Chad Johnson
48. Flys Down, Bass Up
Walker Brook
Zadock Masson
49. Top Water Strikez
Philip Bibens
Sam Wyman
50. Swedish Pimples
Tim Davis
Jim Anderson
51. Pad Crashers
Dave Washburn
Austin Harris
52. Magic Man & El Diablo
Tyler Atkins
Joseph Pinkard
53. Fin-ish
Janie McKenzie
Gary West
Mike Hulvey
54. Swift Kick in the Bass
Dan Gates
Graig Smith
55. VT Bassin'
Max Hogg
56. The Bucket Loaders
Matt Cain
Matt Getz
Bob Muncil
57. Largemouth Trash
Arne McKinley
John Daly
58. Clyde River Flyboys
Matthew McFarlane
Joel McFarlane
59. Presenting The Fly Pack
Cory Merrill
Taylor Marton
60. Aquaholics
Gary West
Larry Bates
61. Large Rod, Small Bass
Thomas Crowne
Ross Crowne
62. Shaw's Law
Jared Shaw
Tim Shaw
63. Team AJ
Andrew Fraser
Jay Seals
