TBF of Connecticut youth Club
From Aimee Suhie 746-5155
CANDLEWOOD JR. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Will Dionisio and Christopher Poole, both of New Fairfield, have won the 2008 The Bass Federation (TBF) Candlewood Junior Club Championship in their respective age divisions. And because Will is unable to attend the Junior World Championship in August, Mike Iovino, also of New Fairfield, will attend.
The TBF of Connecticut is "a grass-roots organization of anglers dedicated to the future of bass fishing, promoting catch-and-release, encouraging community involvement, lobbying for and against proposed legislation of interest to bass fishermen statewide, introducing youth to fishing and the enjoyment of fishing for the beloved bass," according to the TBF of Connecticut Web site.
TBF hosted the Junior Club Championship June 14 on Candlewood Lake. The event was the second and last qualifying tournament for 2008. The maximum point winner from both the June 1 and June 14 age groups qualified for the Junior World Championship to be held August 15 and 16 in Columbia, South Carolina, at Lake Monticello.
Prior to the June 14 tournament, the point leader in the 11-14 age group was Chris Poole and in the 15-18 age group was Mike Iovino. The lunker award for the June 1 event was won by Jake Kelly of New Fairfield with a 4.36-pound smallmouth bass. Jake was also the recipient of a $15 gift certificate to Valley Angler Tackle Shop in Danbury. TBF state president Joe Rackiewicz recounted, "After Junior Club members were assigned their boat captains for the start of the June 14 tournament, things started to warm up -- and I don’t mean for the anglers. The weather on Candlewood was bright, sunny, humid and hot" Despite the pending late afternoon thunderstorms, the Junior members were fishing for their limit right up to the ending at 2 p.m.
"The final weigh-in told the tale of who would be champion for both age groups," Rackiewicz explained. The first-place winner in the 11-14 age group was Justin Dingle of Meriden with 4.5 pounds. The first-place winner in the 15-18 age group was Will Dionisio with 10.23 pounds. Will also took lunker for the day with a 3.05 pound smallmouth and also was awarded $15 gift certificate to Valley Angler Tackle Shop.
The ultimate prize of top angler in the 11-14 age group was Chris Poole based upon his entries in both qualifying tournaments. The second-place finish in the 11-14 age group was Justin Dingle. And because Chris Poole will not be able to attend the Junior World championship, Justin will be the Connecticut representative.
The ultimate prize of top angler in the 15-18 age group was earned by Will Dionisio based upon his second-place finish on June 1 and first-place finish on June 14. The order of finish in the 15-18 age group was Mike Iovino, Jake Kelly, Casey Popke of Bethel and Chris Dionisio.
"I would like to thank the boat captains, Rich Schumacher of Newtown, Mike Winston and Lee Johnson of New Milford, and Jonathan Dingle of South Meriden" who all provided the semi-professional guide service for these two events,” Rackiewicz said. "Rich Schumacher won both boat captain awards as the top guide for 2008." The TBF this week sadly remembered Mike Winston who passed away June 23.
All contestants received tackle packages and Ranger T-shirts and posed for pictures.
Photo cutline:
TBF of Connecticut Junior Club team members pose after the June 14 tournament on Candlewood Lake . Left to right are: Chris Poole, Justin Dingle, Casey Popke, Will Dionisio, Mike Iovino, Jake Kelly and Chris Dionisio. (Photo by Aimee Suhie)
