Conference wahoo::fishing

    I'll be there... the entry fee is kinda steep, but I guess I can let
    you hold my $25 for 8 hours or so...
    
    DON merri-MAC-master
    
    ps: I'll bring along our New Hampshire Bassmasters fancy new electronic
    scale... 

    Joe since this is during the 2 fish limit period in N.H . are we going
    to have two weigh in's since it is an 8 hr tournament. I'm still
    looking for a partner since my usual one is wimping out on me. But sign
    me up I'll have someone by then.
    
    Don Bourgault
    Wjousm::Bourgault

I had thought of having a mid-day weigh-in which would allow a total of 8 
fish per team.  It might make it more interesting, however, if we simply 
limit it to the 4 fish per team as it would promote fishing for quality fish 
as opposed to quantity.  Also, since we will be on a river with current, 
smaller powered boats and canoes would be at a little disadvantage in trying 
to get back upstream for a noontime weigh-in.  Comments?

Another point...

In the past, some folks with boats have not fished either for lack of a
partner or simply because they like to fish alone.  One way of handling this
situation would be to give the lone fisherperson a handicap equal to the
average weight of all fish caught.  This weight would be their "phantom"
partner's weight to be combined with their total weight.  Of course, this
does mean that the lone fisherperson can legally only take two fish which is
a disadvantage and the lone fisherperson must still pay the entry fee of a
full team.  This may sound like the odds are really stacked against them,
but considering the overall history of fish weighed in during our tourneys,
that person could still land in the money.  Incidentally, the handicap
weight the single person gets cannot, by itself, qualify for winnings; that
person must also have caught at least one legal bass in order that the
handicap weight be added. 

Comments?

    I agree with Joe that a noontime weigh-in would be a disadvantage for
    smaller boats, given the length of the river.  
    
    If you want folks to be able to fish alone, don't make it a team event.
    Either way would be fine with me, but I think it should be one way or
    the other.
    
    donmac
    

>>    If you want folks to be able to fish alone, don't make it a team event.
>>    Either way would be fine with me, but I think it should be one way or
>>    the other.
    
Don, I agree...and this is a TEAM event as it usually is.  I only made the 
comment because there have been a couple of instances in the past where a 
team member failed to show up and the boat owner was left out in the cold.  
As long as he is willing to fish under the handicap and conditions I 
described, at least he has an opportunity to fish.

Can you imagine us not letting Ranger Ron fish a DEC tourney just because 
TBDW wimped out because of a couple dark clouds were overhead!?!  This way, 
he could at least fish.  

In fact...(hey, RR...are you paying attention?)...RR would probably have a 
better weigh-in if he accepted the "phantom partner" weight than if he had 
TBDW trying to contribute to the livewell.

-HSJ-

I could be convinced to come up for the tournament.  Who needs a partner?
Dave Sullivan will be a character witness :-)!

Tim

    
     Unfortuneatly, 
     
     I have a club tourney on this day and won't be able to hobble up
    there for some NH CA$h.
     
     I think 'Lucky' Lucia (as someone in another note deemed him) will
    luck into a partner the night before and prevail in the money. As I
    will attest it was "lucky" I had him aboard. 
    
     Good luck, and as far as handicaps go... Leave them for th golfers
    
    
      " Bassmaster "
    

    Alright Holeshot..........I'll take a flyer at this one, provided I
    don't have to register my boat up there..........
    
    I think that I can talk the TBDW into "trying" to make it.........
    
    See you all there, Ranger Ron

    Enter the team of Don Bourgault and John ( Bomber ) Easter to the list.
    I realize that I will be living dangerously but partners are hard to 
    find. 

Well guys, interest in our first NH tourney hasn't been all that great so 
far.  What's happening??  Let's see some more NHerites signing up.

So far, we have the following folks signed up.

HoleShot Joe & TBD
DonMac & TBD
Don Bourgault & John EasterBunny
RR & TBDW (I'll believe that when I see it!  Not you, Ron, the other wimp)

and...

"Lucky" Tim Lucia (looking to mooch a ride again)

BTW...I have the dubious honor of having been selected for jury duty during 
the month of June, so I won't have much (if any) time to keep track of 
registration.  DonMac, would you mind keeping this rolling for me?  I'll be 
in touch with you over the next week or so.

-HSJ- (guilty 'til proven innocent, your Honor!)

    Ill be there. No use wasting the excuse of the 'day before"... thing.
    Ill post my partner later. If I can talk one of them into going.
    Lavendar
    

    No probs, Joe, I'll keep an eye on it.
    
    Teams:
    HoleShot Joe & TBD
    Don Mac & Ed Guertin
    Don Bourgault & The Easter Bunny and his Battle Star Bayliner
    RR & TBDW
    Jack H. and TBD 
    
    Non-boaters looking for partners:
    Tim Lucia

    Don,
    
    
       nothing definate but my wife and I may fish that day, depends
    on how high the water is.  And as long as you guys dont swamp me
    crawdad I will be all set. 
    
                                                     Lee
    

    I'm surprized there is not more interest for this tournament... If the
    entry fee were less would there be any more interest???  donmac

    Lee, we hope to see you there.  And I wouldn't worry about getting
    swamped, we're considerate.  There will be an optional draw for
    starting position.  Low powered boats may decline the draw and 
    'bring up the rear'. 
    
    don mac
    
    ps: rumor has it that the infamous legend of the lakes may be planning
    a surprize comeback..... 

    The Legend is coming. Thats worth the price of admission by itself.
    This notes file is sure dull w/o his words of wit.
    Ive asked the wife and kids for a gill net for dads day. (spelling
    suspect!)  Ive got this tourney in the bag. This net wont be a problem
    will it?  How could we get coonas here. 

    If I cud ketch fish de same as de las time I wuz op dere, den I'd stay
    op dere, but den it jes gits too dam cold in de wintertime. I don hab
    plans anytim to go op dere, but I'll keep chew op on it wen I do.
    
    Wen chew comin don chere, Jacques??? Phideaux is come out ob hibernatin
    an hes hongry!!!
    
    Coonass

     Well you can sign up Bass-O-Matic and a mystery guest! Lets just say
    that he is a LEGEND in his own mind and he told me to tell everyone 
    that if they want to get some good abuse to just show up and hand him
    the money!! 
    
     One thing about this guy is that he claims to be the best so I am
    real confident that we will win this tourney (if not, I will at least
    be laughing all the time)
    
     So come on you guys sign up for some real abuse!!!
    
    Bass-O-Matic
    

    
        Well Fish & Game does it to me again, they decided to have a
    bowhunter education class that day. so I will have to let someone
    else win the money. I would probably be able to stop in on my way
    to the class to meet some of you guys.
    
    
                                  try again next time.
    
                                                        Lee

    don't forget to tell THE LEPER that there is a bridge across the river
    right around the bend from the launch... 8^)  donmac

    HoleShot Joe & Lucky Lucia
    Don Mac & Ed Guertin
    Don Bourgault & The Dept. of Saftey
    RR & TBDW
    Jack H. and TBD
    Bass-O-Matic & a LEGEND in his own mind 
    
    

    Geez, still surprized more folks haven't signed up for this one... 
    
    I talked with Joe and I think we can plan on lower the entry fee a little 
    bit, at least to $20/team and $5 for the lunker pool, I'll let him give
    the ofishal word though...
    
    Hats off to Bass-o-matic for allowing his boat to be subjected to eight
    hours worth of the wrath of The (infamous) Legend (we can only assume),
    this should prove quite entertaining.
    
    Hope to see more of ya there!

    Jack H. was right,  it is worth the money just to see the infamous
    "Legend" row his boat against the current. 8-)
    
    You can place my name beside Jack H.
    
    SpinnerBait

    How about the promissed "directions"???????
    
    And, can my MA. boating registration get by????????
    
    Tight lines, Ranger Ron

    Since Joe is not here here are directions to the 'cornfield launch'.
    
    Take Rt. 93 north to Concord, in Concord take the Rt. 393 east exit.
    (don't know that exit # off hand, anyone else know it?) 
    
    Once on 393 you'll take the first exit, 'fort eddy rd.'  Take a left
    off the exit ramp onto  ft. eddy rd.  
    
    You'll go under Rt. 393 and less than a 1/2 mile on the right hand side
    you'll see a dirt road going into a field, this is the boat launch.  
    You'll be able to see the boat trailers at the end of this road. 
    
    And as far as Mass boat registrations go, NH still requires all
    out-of-state boats to obtain a secondary use registration..........
    
    donmac

Thanks for entering the directions, Don.  I believe that the Exit number is 
15.  An alternative way is to take Exit 14.  At the end of the exit ramp, go 
straight across the lights past two shopping plazas (Shaws and JC Penny's).  
Stay on that road. It will take a hard turn to the left back under Rt 93.  
The cornfield is just up a little way on the right.

Geez...if the LEGEND (see...I used all caps out of respect for this infamous 
wonder) is going to make an appearance, maybe we ought to INCREASE the entry 
fee for the privelege of getting a good laugh!  I better stop here or this 
could turn out to be  deja vu!

See y'all at the ramp this Saturday!

-HSJ-  

BTW...Entry fee will be $20 per team.  OK??  Now let's get some more teams 
entered.  Hey RR...DO NOT WIMP OUT!

>>Stay on that road. It will take a hard turn to the left back under Rt 93.  
    
    Joe, that would be "...back under Rt. 393..." if I'm not mistaken.
    
    donmac 
    
    ps: anyone who hasn't signed up, feel free to join us at the last
    minute, just show up at the launch and your in... 

Thanx, Don.  I think you're right that it's Rt 393 and not 93.  In any 
event, just stay on that road.

Also, since there is nowhere to "tie" up after launching and since the 
shoreline is all rocky, I'd suggest that once folks have paid their entry 
fees and launched their boats that they move diagonally across the river 
into a backwater area out of the current.  I will probably launch last and 
we'll all start from the backwater.  We might want to consider doing our 
weighin from out there as well.  Otherwise, we'd have to wait until everyone 
hauled their boats out.  Don...are you bringing your club scale and net?

Weather conditions sound like they may be favorable.  Some chance of showers 
on Friday with partly cloudy skys on Sat. and Sun.

FWIW...it looks like the infamous LEGEND may make an appearance.  He sent me 
a "nasty-gram" to confirm that he'd be there.  it's a good thing he's smart 
enough to not enter any notes in here or DonMac would have his hands full 
setting his replies to NOREAD.  In any event, I'm up for a good laugh!

Now...how about some more entries!  We've always had at least 10-12 teams in 
our tournies.  C'mon folks...let's get with it!

-HSJ-

    Yeap, I'll bring the NHB scale, no net required, we dropped some big
    bucks and got a table type tournament scale that uses a basket.
    
    donmac

     Since I have never fished this section of the river is there any
    place along the way that we have to be real carefull such as rapids
    or sandbars?? The last thing I want to see is the LEGEND falling 
    out of my boat! but on second thought I can just have him hanging
    off the side of the boat and use him as a depth finder....
    
    Hey Joe how many people are going so far? the LEGEND wants to count
    his winnings before he gets there!
    
    Bass-O-Matic
    

Yo, Bass-O-Madman....tell the Lecher to forget about how many folks will be 
there.  If he finds out how many people will be laughing at him he might 
wimp out.  Dragging him over the side might be a good idea, though.

As with any unfamiliar piece of water, you should always be careful.  On the 
river, you'll see most of the areas where you need to be careful as the 
water will rip over submerged rocks.  This is especially true near all the 
bridges.  There are also places on the inside turns of the river that will 
run shallow.  Even on straight deep sections, you need to be alert to 
submerged or partially submerged floating logs and debris.

Just excercise caution and you'll be fine.

     Thanks Joe, what I might do is just have the LEGEND stand at the
    front of the boat and if he launches off like a rocket I'll know
    that I have hit something! Donmac sent me a message as to where to be
    careful and but like I told him is that I hate going into a new place
    and not knowing what to expect.
    
    Thanks again!
    
    Bass-O-Matic
    

    Martial, if you go south on the river from the launch you will come to
    a"steel" bridge the depth around the bridge is 16-20 ft deep 20 yards
    beyond the bridge it comes up to 2ft and full of rocks you have to 
    be very careful in this area for about 100 yds. I now own a refurbished
    back up prop due to this area, it looks real nice on the lcd to see
    your self going uphill in a matter of seconds (16ft to less than 2ft)
    before you can do anything to avoid it. Have the "Legends" 
    head in the water at the bow so that he can direct you through this
    area. This section of the river is no bargain but the dangerous areas
    are spread out in different parts of it. Make sure that you don't stop
    to fast out there Don Mac might rear end you with his new boat.

From:	RANGER::MACINTYRE    "Don MacIntyre, 226-2395, LJO2/I4" 13-JUN-1990 15:27:39.02
To:	MARTIAL
CC:	MACINTYRE
Subj:	the merrimack

martial, you don't have an lcr right....?  what you'll have to do is keep an
eye on the water color, once you start seeing a sandy color, your getting
shallow and you'd better slow down, the river tend to be deepest on the outside
edge of the turns, that's where the channel is ususally... for the most part
it's clear sailing...  if you go upstream from the launch you can go all the
way to an island, when you get to the island, you cannot go too much further 
because you'll see rapids.....  when you go downstream it's pretty clear
sailing until you get to the old stone bridge (i believe its the 3rd bridge),
it's real shallow on the downstream side of the bridge, watch the current and 
go for the least rough water - navigate with caution!  after it clears up
after the bridge, it's a clean shot until you turn a sharp corner and see
some old stone bridge abutments in the distance, this is another area that
requires caution until after you clear the abutments...  after than its a
pretty clear shot all the way to the dam (garvin falls dam)...  just take
your time and watch where other boats go...  at least you'll have a good idea
of what the river is like for our nhb tournament there...

again, there are shallow spots, especially around the bridges... keep an
eye on the channel, stay in it, and keep an eye on the river surface, where
there are rocks you'll see boils, eddies, riffles, etc...

good luck
    
    
    note: the 'steel' bridge that don b. mentioned in the previous reply is 
    what i referred to as the old stone bridge (the foundation is stone the
    bridge is steel).

    I was up that way yesterday after getting out of jury duty. The
    water is a little high and the rocks by the bridge and the rocks
    by Blue Seal Feeds are submerged. You can't see them but you can
    see the eddies the create. So I suggest all keep a sharp eye out
    and be real careful. On this river I would rather have the rocks
    just sticking out of the water instead of 6" under the water.
    
    Oh!I did tell all those bass what was going to happen this Sat.
    and I also told them where to hide..... In my livewell!!! YUK-YUK-YUK.
    
    
    John "The Bomber" "The BattleStar" "Bunny" Easter.
    
    BTW- Don Mac, how many times are you going to change my handle???

Hey Martial,

You may not want to drag the legend behind the boat due to the drag coefficient.

Who's Out There?

Tim

    Dragging the Legend????? I thought they were trying to stop the
    polution on the Merrimack?????? :^)
    
    Thanks for the mail Don Mac. I guess I will wait till you schedule the
    out of the way tourney at Stumpfield. Sorry Joe, I just can't make
    myself pay a user fee for my boat when I can go to anyother state and
    not.
    
    Maybe next time, Ranger Ron

    Can't say I blame ya Ron...  Rumor has it next year we'll be 100% 
    reciprocal... we'll see....
    
    donmac

    HoleShot Joe & Lucky Lucia
    Don Mac & Ed "creepy crawler" Guertin
    Don Bourgault & Mr. John Easter, Sir
    Lavender Jack  and Spinnerbait Dilsworth 
    Bass-O-Matic & a LEGEND in his own mind 
    
    again feel free to show up at the last minute and join us
    
    donmac
    

    Joe, if i'm not mistaken you never posted the rules??? what are the
    length limits?  we know its a 4 fish team limit... 

    Don,Joe,if we only have five teams there probably should only be 1st
    and 2nd place or winners take all? The Lunker pool will stay separate?

    a 60/40 wouldn't be bad, but i don't want to be greedy and have a
    winner take all...  'swivels' guertin and i are willing to share the
    wealth a little...  if joe doesn't show his face in here for the rest
    of the afternoon, we can work out the details at the launch... joe's
    probably to nervous to type... the legend has got him pretty shook
    up...
    
    donmac

Rules will basically be the same as we've always had in the past.  In 
summary: only one rod in use at a time, NO live (or dead) bait, no trolling, 
50 yd rule.  Be sure to observe the most important rule:  HAVE FUN! 

Considering that we'll only have 5-6 teams, I agree that it makes sense that 
there only be a 1st and 2nd place payoff with a 60-40 split.  Hawg pool will 
remain 50-50 split between largemouth and smallmouth.  In the event that no 
largemouths are caught, 100% payoff to the largest smallie.

If all entries have boats with reasonable size motors, we can consider a 
noontime weigh-in which will allow a total of 8 fish per team for the day.  
We'll take a poll at the ramp.

Otherwise....see you there!

-HSJ-

Anyone ever seen QUAD MERCS "julian diced" on Merrimack River rocks??!?

Join us Saturday for this spectacular site.  I may even charge admission to 
see Don Pardo and the Legend.  This should be a laugh!

    It is quite obvious if we follow this machine we will be able to pick
    up the fish washed ashore from his wake. I had to stop and check my
    Bass digest to see if a full moon was happening, it appears the strange
    ones are starting to come out of hiding. I imagine John (Safety dept)
    Easter should be able to write a book of tickets on this machine from
    hell. 

    Geez, sounds like old times... 8^)  

Well,  the turnout wasn't the greatest, but the infamous Legend really did 
make an appearance.  Things weren't quite the same as the "old days."  It 
seems that age is affecting the Legend as he was a little more mellow than 
the Legend of old.  I suspect it won't take too long before the Legend 
clears out the cobwebs and returns to his normal, obnoxious self.

In any event, only 5 teams showed up for the tourney.  The weather 
cooperated very nicely.  Congrats to DonMac and Ed Guertin for their first 
place finish and to keith "Spinnerbait" Dilsworth and "Lavender Jack" 
Hagerty for taking the second honors.  Hawg pool winners were Martial Vachon 
with a 2.46 lb smallie and Keith Dilsworth with a 1.89 lb largemouth.  (I 
hope I got that right...it wasn't too clear who on the team actually caught 
the lunker.)

Team standings were as follows:

    							TOTAL	   TOTAL
PLACE           TEAM                      LUNKER        CAUGHT     WEIGHT
==========================================================================
  1	Don MacIntyre & Ed Guertin			  7	    8.18
 
  2	Keith Dilsworth & Jack Hagerty     1.89 (L)  	  5	    7.19

  3	John Easter & Don Bourgault			  5	    5.88

  4	Martial Vachon & John Waters	   2.46 (S)	  3	    4.39

  5	Joe Tomas & Tim Lucia				  1 	    1.09


Yeah, I know...you don't have to rub it in!  I guess the administrative 
burden of keeping track of all the weights, counting the money, etc affected 
my concentration.  Next time will be different!

Thanks to all who showed up.  As usual, it was a good time!

There was a lot of interest in having a tourney on Pawtuckaway that runs 
well into the night to around 11:00 or midnight.  Any interest?

-HSJ-

    Thanks for running a good tourny Joe.  True, it wasn't the largest
    turnout we've had, but a good time nonetheless.  Yeap, The infamous
    Legend of the Lakes did make an appearance, don't know if he'll now 
    be gracing the notesfile once again with is angelic prose... 8^)
    
    DON the merri-MAC-master

      Thanks Joe! I don't know why the clown that I was with calls himself
    the LENGEND OF THE LAKES because he sure didn't help out our team but
    we sure did have fun trying and he does make a good sandwich! 
    
    Bass-O-Matic
    

    From the team of Don & John from the BattleStar, thanks Joe for
    getting this thing together. We had a good time. Except when that
    bolder tried to take my trolling motor off my boat.
    
    
    John.
    
    BTW, Don, we pulled that dirt bike out sunday morning and gave it
    to the Concord police. You should have heard the harassment the
    cop was getting from these two other officers. Things like where
    he was going to get it mounted, how to cook it, you should get your
    picture taken with it, and so on.

   So when is the next NH Tourney going to be. I was out on Sunday on Potanipo
   Lake down in Brookline, NH. Hooked some decent sized (but not trophy)
   Largemouth. I am surprised that nobody has mentioned this convenient
   little, well stocked, lake. My only complaints were the idjuts in the
   Waterski boats, and the sunburn...(My fault), and the bad
   parking/organization at the Ramp. Still, a nice way to spend fathers day...
   
   Peter Q. (Now no longer a New england fishing virgin...)
   
   

Peter,

Potanipo is the lake where New Hampshire's state record largemouth came from 
quite some time ago.  After the fish was caught, the lake (or pond) was 
almost fished out.  It's taken many years for it to recover.  I've fished it 
a few times and I agree that there are some nice bass in it.  The downside 
is that there's a lot of boat traffic for such a small pond.  It's nothing 
more than a big "bowl" with virtually no coves to escape the traffic.  I 
can't believe the size of some of the boats they put in there.  Also, the 
launch ramp isn't the best and it's real shallow.

There are a lot of other lakes and ponds in this state that can offer much 
better fishing with much quieter surroundings.

-HSJ-

    I live in Milford NH so when I want a place nearby to get out for an
    hour or so, I'll occasionally go to Potanipo.
    
    Yeap, Potanipo is a nice little pond.  Especially during the middle of
    the week, during the day.  On the weekends and weeknights the boat 
    traffic is a killer - literally - someone got killed there last month
    when a boat went out of control after hitting another boat's wake.
    
    As Joe said, the fishing does have a bad reputation since it was more or 
    less fished out years ago, too many meat fisherman looking for another
    record.  
    
    You commented that it was 'well stocked'.  The NH F&G does not normally 
    stock bass.  The bass population at Potanipo is recovering on its own 
    I expect.  
    
    Besides the boat traffic, the lake still gets a fair amount of pressure.  
    And, unfortunately, still a fair amount of meat fisherman.
    
    donmac 
    

    As far as another NH tourny goes, I liked the idea that was mentioned
    in the Mass tourny note about having a Friday night tournament.  For
    those of us with families and club tournament schedules, Friday nights
    may be the most conveinent.  How about a Friday night at Pawtuckaway?
    
    Night tournaments at Pawtuckaway have produced well in the past... 
    
    Any interest in a NH Friday night tournament on Pawtuckaway, July 20th?
    
    donmac - if we get 3-4 folks interested here, I'll start a new topic
    and run with it....

     Well Don you know that I'm always up for a good time so you can
    sign up Bass-O-Matic and I'll see if the Legend would be willing 
    to show his ugly face again! 
    
    Bass-O-Matic
    

    RE .55	Don, I thought the Live Free or Die State didn't allow
    night fishing. Have things changed or do different times of the 
    year have different hours?

    Rich

    that only applies for some forms of trout fishing...... 
    
    night time bassin' is a-ok
    
    donmac

    That's right. I caught a nice smallmouth at Paugus Bay, Winnipesaukee
    at night last summer, and nothing happened to me...
    
    and the fish went back too...
    
    Ed
    

July 20th ?  Hmmm...I might have a slight problem as I'm scheduled to stay 
in Boston that week to work DECworld.  It's possible, though, that I could 
try to get out early enough to make the tourney.

What would you propose for the tourney hours?

Joe