Vermont TBF State Team Qualifier Recap.

Help congratulate Outlaw Angler, Ben Cayer, on qualifying for for the TBF Eastern Divisional Tournament!  Way to go, Ben!

Post from Outlaw Angler, Ben Cayer:

This past season I fished my first Vermont state team qualifier as a non-boater. Since I am too old now to fish in the junior championship, I decided that I would fish it and try to fish with the big dogs. The tournament launched out of Malletts Bay on Lake Champlain on August 21^st. and 22^nd.

When the first day of the tournament rolled around it was shaping up to be a nice day for fishing. My boater for the day was Larry Blow, a truly great guy. We had a blast finesse fishing for smallmouth and largemouth all day. At the end of the day we both weighed in about 12 pounds. This put us both in 9^th and 10^th place at the end of day one. To make the state team as a non-boater you must place in the top 12 and the top 6 qualify as boaters. I was feeling pretty good that I was at least in contention to make the team.

Day two was rainy, but I was still optimistic because I was fishing with Tom Collouitti. We made a run north that morning to a place that we were both sure we could catch some fish early. I landed a 4+ and a 1.5lb. smallmouth at this spot.  It felt good to get that big kicker fish in the boat early in the day because I knew that all I needed to do was finish my limit and I would most likely make the team.  We continued fishing, and he pulled a 1.5 pound largemouth. We made a move to one of his favorite docks on the entire lake. I let him fish it for a while and then he told me that I should fish it. So I made a cast to the corner of the dock. As my shakey head settled to the bottom I felt a bite. I set the hook and it barely even moved. I could see the fish flashing around under the dock; my line was caught in the chain.  I finally managed to land the fish after it took me in and around a motor prop and back into the chain that I was originally stuck in. That fish weighed 5-2 and was the lunker of the tournament. I scraped out a limit throughout the rest of the day, including a 3+ largemouth on a HOSS and a few fish on a craw. I weighed in 16-6 for the day, and came in fourth place overall.

I had such a great time fishing this tournament. I learned a lot and realized that I could compete with the big guys. I am looking forward to fishing the TBF Eastern Divisional tournament on Sebago Lake in Maine. I can see Whiskey River Whiptail being one of my primary baits for dropshotting there!

Ben