Tag: Donald Davis

Matthew Zapala Targets Big Smallies for a Big Win at Great Pond

September 12, 2023 0 Comment

This past Saturday, the final regular-season Elite Kayak Fishing event of the year unfolded against the backdrop of Messalonskee Lake and Great Pond in Maine’s Belgrades Region. With a total of 64 anglers, from as far away as Pennsylvania and Canada, the stakes were high as many of them aimed to secure a coveted spot in the two-day championship event set to take place on Lake George in October.

Snow Pond Center for the Arts once again played host for this event. Situated along the eastern shore of Messalonskee Lake, in perfect view of the sunset (or an evening thunderstorm in the distance, as many saw Thursday night), Snow Pond offers a unique tournament experience for the anglers and their families who choose to stay on campus.

Leading up to the event, the weather was consistent: sunny, hot, with light winds, if any at all. The forecast for Saturday called for a cool morning with cloudy conditions all day, something many anglers, especially those who struggled during practice, were hoping would change their fortune. But as the day dawned and anglers made their way to their starting spots, there wasn’t a cloud in sight.

Under bright blue skies, the strategy adopted by many was to utilize their electronics to pinpoint smallmouth bass congregating around schools of baitfish. What set the top contenders apart was their reliance on the controversial forward-facing sonar technology, which proved to be the linchpin of their success. With the bass constantly on the move chasing schools, this gave those anglers the unique ability to spot fish in real-time, a significant advantage over those relying on traditional 2D sonar and sidescan.

In the end, it was New York’s Matthew Zapala who clinched the top spot, boasting an impressive 95.75 inches of Great Pond smallmouth. No stranger to either Great Pond or Messalonskee Lake (Matt finished third in the KBF Super Trail event there in 2020), he focused on offshore smallmouth, targeting the bigger fish with precision, which ultimately proved to be the winning strategy, producing not only the biggest limit but the biggest bass of the tournament: a 20.25 smallmouth!

Defying the odds once again, Ken Wood targeted largemouth bass as he did at our St. Lawrence River event last month, where he placed second. Ken fished the Belgrade Stream area on the southern end of Messalonskee Lake, power-fishing his way to another second-place finish with 94.50 inches.

The competition for the top spots was fierce, with three other anglers—Ryan Matylewicz, Benjamin Bornhorst, and Nick Audi—also boasting 94.50 inches. Tie-breakers are determined by the anglers biggest bass, which lead to Ryan securing third place, Benjamin taking fourth, and Nick rounding out the top five.

     

Jake Angulas secured the final paying spot with a respectable 93.75 inches, while Stephen Hedges (92.25), Mike Morcone (91.75), John Ferreira (91.50), and Anthony Campbell (91.25) completed the top ten.

Congratulations to all!

With the championship on the horizon, the stage is set for another thrilling showdown on Lake George in October, where the best of the best will vie for the titles of EKF Champion and Angler of the Year.

With 64 anglers, we paid out six spots for nearly $8,000 in cash and more in giveaways! A total of 411 bass were submitted to the National Trade Services Live Leaderboard.

As always, thank you to our elite sponsors, Dakota Lithium Batteries, Three Belles Outfitters, and National Trade Services, without whom we could not run these events.

Please support them whenever you can, as well as our other amazing sponsors: Bending Branches, Crosskix, Catch Co., Fresh Baitz, Harpoon Brewery, Hobie Eyewear, Lunkerhunt, Rogue Gear Co., and YakAttack!

And a big shout-out once again to Snow Pond Center for the Arts for having us back. Thank you!

Our championship event on Lake George is up next! This two-day event will not only determine our 2023 Champion but also our Angler of the Year!

Ryan Matylewicz Secures His First EKF Win!

August 21, 2023 0 Comment

The world-renowned St. Lawrence River in upstate New York, a haven for smallmouth bass enthusiasts, played host to EKF’s fourth stop on the 2023 trail.

Despite the high expectations set by the river’s legendary smallmouth population, the bass proved to be more elusive than expected. Whether that was due to the conditions or the relentless pressure from bass tournaments and recreation anglers, or a combination of things, we’ll never know. What we do know, is that the river produced far less than most had hoped for.

With dreams of smashing personal best smallmouth records, only 96 smallmouth bass were submitted during the tournament, while a very surprising 134 largemouth crossed the National Trade Services live leaderboard.

In the end, it was Ryan Matylewicz who emerged victorious, securing his first EKF win! Matylewicz adopted an offshore strategy, which should come as no surprise, as his skills at targeting offshore bass have been on display many times before. His approach paid off handsomely, as he managed to reel in an impressive total of 92.75 inches of smallmouth bass.

Ken Wood, on the other hand, took a completely different route to success. Unable to find a quality smallmouth bite during practice, he opted to focus on largemouth bass, flipping a creature bait and throwing a frog in shallow weeds and slop. His ability to abandon the tried-and-true St. Lawrence River smallmouth pattern and focus on what he knows best propelled him to a well-earned second place finish.

Third place went to John Ferreira, whose strategy involved covering a significant amount of water while targeting smallmouth bass, both deep and shallow. Ferreira’s dedication to exploration and his focus on smallmouth paid off, as he recorded a solid 90.25 inches of bass, firmly securing his spot on the podium.

     
(Yeah, yeah, we forgot to bring the checks to the event!)
The competition remained fierce, with Pat Veomett notching 89.75 inches, landing him in fourth place. Pat’s love of chasing big New York smallmouth paid off, earning him his third top ten EKF finish.

In fifth place, Jake Angulas showcased his consistency and experience with 89.5 inches of St. Lawrence River smallmouth, marking his tenth top ten finish in fifteen events — an impressive feat by any standard.

The top ten was rounded out by Matthew Zapala (87.25), Nick Audi (87), Brandon Brylinsky (85.75), Jeff Levesque (83.50), and Ryan Melia (82.75).

Landing the day’s Three Belles Outfitters Big Bass was Nick Audi, with an impressive 20-inch brownback!

Despite the fishing challenges and adverse weather that cut the day short for most, these skilled anglers displayed their determination and professionalism, making the most of what the conditions gave them.

The St. Lawrence River tournament proved to be a true test of skill, adaptability, and perseverance. The unpredictable behavior of the smallmouth bass and the varying strategies adopted by the anglers showcased the depth of talent within the EKF ranks.

Forty-nine anglers turned out for this event, a surprisingly low number for a bucket-list fishery. But with two local events taking place at the same time, plus the Native No Limit Big Bass event going down on the Susquehanna River, anglers were split between four events.

Anglers submitted 230 bass to the National Trade Services Live Leaderboard, which, as noted above, surprisingly consisted of more largemouth than smallmouth.

We paid out over $6,000 in cash, and even more in prizes!

A huge thank-you to our elite sponsors, Dakota Lithium Batteries, Three Belles Outfitters, and National Trade Services, without whom we could not run these events.

Please support them whenever you can, as well as our other amazing sponsors: Bending Branches, Crosskix, Catch Co., Fresh Baitz, Harpoon Brewery, Hobie Eyewear, Lunkerhunt, Rogue Gear Co., and YakAttack!

Our final regular-season event is on the angler-favorite Messalonskee Lake and Great Pond on September 9.

We are once again staying on the Snow Pond Center for the Arts campus, where the majority of anglers will stay. Affordable dorm rooms and cabins are available, and we highly encourage you to stay on campus and experience what has become our favorite event of the season. Join us by booking your room/cabin and meals at this link!

Register for the event here!