Tag: St. Lawrence River

Jake Angulas Conquers the St. Lawrence River, Dominates Season So Far

August 22, 2024 0 Comment

On August 17, the 2024 Dakota Lithium Elite Kayak Fishing Series, presented by Black Hall Outfitters, held its third event of the season on the legendary St. Lawrence River, widely regarded as one of the top fisheries in the United States. This scenic stretch of upstate New York also allowed anglers to fish two of its tributaries, the Raquette and Grasse Rivers, which are also known for their excellent bass fishing opportunities.

More well-known of the three rivers, the St. Lawrence is famous for its pristine, crystal-clear waters and varying currents, making it a prime habitat for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. The rocky shoals and underwater structures offer ideal spots for trophy-sized smallmouths, while largemouth bass tend to hide in the river’s calmer, weedy areas, giving anglers a variety of fishing challenges. The beauty of the river and the thrill of battling these bass make it a top-tier destination for competitive and recreational anglers alike.


(Watch our live event broadcast on YouTube)

Tournament day saw intense competition, with anglers battling not just the fish but the challenging river conditions. Jake Angulas once again proved to be a dominant force, claiming his third win of the season with an impressive total of 88.75 inches of bass. Angulas strategically focused on smallmouth bass in the early hours before transitioning to shallow largemouth later in the day. His decision to switch tactics and employ a chatterbait over submerged grass paid off handsomely, securing his place at the top once again.

Khoa Dao made his mark in his first-ever Elite Kayak Fishing event, taking second place with a solid 85 inches of bass, a mix of both smallmouth and largemouth. Dao also captured the Fresh Baitz Big Bass prize with a hefty 18.75-inch largemouth, a highlight in a standout debut.

In third place, Rey Morales hauled in 83.25 inches of smallmouth bass, showcasing yet again that he is one of the best anglers in the Northeast. Close behind was Antoine Desrochers-Gagnon, whose 83 inches earned him a fourth-place finish. Rounding out the top five was Gerard Elias, whose 78.75 inches of bass capped off a strong tournament for all competitors.

Check out the full results here and watch our EKF LIVE recap show with Khoa Dao…

The Kennebec River is up next on September 1. The river may not be so well-known among our anglers today, but it will be after our event. Mark our words! Don’t sleep on this one.

Ryan Matylewicz Wins Angler of the Year After Epic 2023 Season

November 1, 2023 1 Comment

Consistency is one of the defining characteristics of any Angler of the Year. To earn the title, one must be consistent not for one event, not for two, but for an entire season.

This year, Ryan Matylewicz had one of those seasons.

The 2023 EKF season took us to some of the Northeast’s most premier fisheries, and Cayuga lake is arguably at the top of that list. Known for its world-class fishing and trophy bass, Cayuga Lake churned out fifteen limits over 90 inches, and many more close to it, at our first event of the year. Ryan’s limit of 96.75 inches, however impressive, was only good enough for third place—the first of four top-three finishes in 2023.

Following Cayuga Lake, EKF stopped at the famed Lake Champlain where challenging weather presented difficult fishing conditions. Ryan’s ability to adapt allowed him to net a limit of 97.75 and a second-place finish.

The third event of the season took EKF anglers to the St. Lawrence River, known to many as Smallmouth Disneyland. With many anglers fishing the river for the first time, the competition was wide open for those who located quality fish. Ryan’s 92.75 inches of fierce river smallmouth was enough to secure his first-ever EKF victory!

The final regular-season event of the year took anglers to scenic Messalonskee Lake and Great Pond. With both bodies of water known for their impressive smallmouth bass population, it presented anglers with a difficult decision on tournament day. Ryan decided that Great Pond would provide him the best opportunity for success, a decision that would pay off, landing him once again in third place with a limit of 94.5 inches.

With four strong finishes, Ryan was well-positioned in the Angler of the Year standings heading into the championship event on Lake George.

October brought shorter days and dropping temperatures after a period of record-breaking highs in the Adirondack region of upstate New York. Anglers had to come up with multiple strategies to provide them with the best chance to take home the championship trophy.

After day one, Ryan found himself sitting in sixth place and well-positioned in his pursuit of Angler of the Tear.

The second day of the championship saw anglers resorting to their backup plans and making on-the-fly adjustments. While Ryan remained consistent between both days, other anglers stumbled on day two. This opened the door for a fifth-place championship finish and the well-earned title of 2023 EKF Angler of the Year!

Congratulations on a steller season!

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!