“Big Axe, Bigger Fish”
This year’s Nackawic leg of the Hook & Paddle series was one to remember — and not just because it was held in the shadow of the world’s largest axe. With perfect overcast skies and barely any long sustained wind to deal with, anglers were gifted ideal conditions on the Bend. Whether they were trolling deep for muskie (none showed up!) or sitting tight in known hot spots hoping for a sucker to slurp down a worm, the river delivered.

While no muskie or chain pickerel made an appearance, the species lengths were massive, especially in catfish, yellow perch, fallfish, and the always-reliable smallmouth bass. This wasn’t a game of catching them all — it was a race for length, and some anglers came in swinging.

Top 5 Anglers Destination Nackawic

1st – John Cail – 98.75 pts
John bounced back and brought a balanced showing with solid lengths across smallmouth bass (18"), a thick 13.50" catfish, and a commanding 19" sucker. Cail also registered pumpkinseed, yellow and fall fish rounding out a strong multi-species card. Add in some bonus points, and it was enough to top the field on this day, taking home a nice Minnow Tackle Shop prize.

2nd – Peter Nyenhuis – 95.5 pts
Peter finishes back-2-back silver over the weekend scoring big with an 18" smallmouth, 12.75" white perch, and high numbers across the rest of his 7 species caught. Nyenhuis is consistently piling up bonus points and species - taking home a 13 Fishing Canada rod on the day, and another beautiful Atlantic Laser Works custom plaque.

3rd – Konnor Nyenhuis – 90 pts
Konnor stayed in striking distance collecting 7 species on the day with a nice 14 inch catfish and a healthy showing of all core species. Consistency across the board, even while assisting other anglers on the day.

4th – Bryan Cawthra – 83.25 pts
Cawthra found himself in 4th both tournaments this weekend, he wasn't able to find 7 but his 6 species caught were large enough to keep him in the mix, including a 19 inch small-jaw, 11.25 inch yellow perch and 13.75" catfish.

5th – Quinn Marsh – 77 pts
Quinn rounded out the top five with a 16.25" smallmouth, a monster 12.25" yellow perch, and a solid 16 inch sucker. Quinn takes home back-2-back Walters Baits top youth angler trophies this weekend.

HP Species Record Watch
Jean Muzzerall made headlines again with a 14.50" catfish, becoming the third angler to break a new species benchmark in 2025 -- which will net him 5 extra bonus points at the end of the season.

Shout out to Andrew Burtt who won the X Zone LuresTHE ROD GLOVE Biggie-Smalls Target Species prize pack with a 19.50 and 4.50 difference of 15 inches and $200. And thanks Mayor Tim Fox for welcoming us at the awards, and to Clean Drain Dry for washing our kayaks as we were getting off the water!

HP Youth Division Standings
Quinn Marsh has moved up to claim top spot for the time being with a nice weekend, bumping him up to 588 points, but 3 time youth div champ Gage Nyenhuis is hot on his tracks - just 5 points separate the two. It'll be a fun battle to watch as the season plays out -- Damien Dorcas rounds out top 3 with 553 points.

Access Paving and Construction
HP Elimination Team Bracket has been updated, we are down to 4 teams left!

Top 5 Overall Standings

1st – Rene Pelletier (205.5 points)
Rene was able to capitalize big in McAdam with a dominating win, he was able to close the gap, and even pass Travis for first overall with 32 bonus points and 12/16 species caught already. He will continue to look to be consistently in the top 10 for the rest of the season.

2nd Travis Melanson (203.25 points)
Travis despite missing this last weekend, still right in the mix for top spot with an impressive species count and monster lengths across the board -- he will need to keep up that consistency and find a few more key species to keep pushing Pelletier in the upcoming tournaments.

3rd – Peter Nyenhuis (200.75 points)
Peter has been near the top of each tournament so far, and with 4 species still on the list to catch, he'll make another major push at top 3 overall anglers again this season - a well-rounded effort from an experienced HP competitor.

4th – Jean Muzzerall (177.75 points)
Jean has above average species lengths, and is consistently raking up bonus points, and with a few species still to check off his list, look for Muzzerall to make a push in the upcoming tournaments.
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5th – Andrew Craig (171.75 points)
Andrew started the season off hot, and hasn't really slowed down yet, with an eel and striped bass on his board already, he will need to continue to stack species each tournament to increase bonus points, but Craig is one of the few to crack the 170+ point mark, earning him a well-deserved top 5 finish.

Anglers: 39 competitors
Different Species Caught: 8
Fish Registered: 289
Weather Report:
It started off with thick fog, then the sun broke through for a hot, windless day that left anglers roasting in their kayaks. The lake was alive with sunfish and chain pickerel, while in the background, the buzz of chainsaws echoed as locals cleaned up from a recent microburst that knocked trees into the lake and across properties.

Top 5 McAdam Anglers – What a Show!

Rene Pelletier – 106.25 pts
Rene had a monster day on the water, nailing nearly every category with consistency. He maxed out bonus points and placed first overall thanks to solid performances across smallmouth, largemouth, chain pickerel, and more. A true multi-species masterclass taking home $325.00 from the good folks Village of McAdam Discover SW New Brunswick Pelletier also took home the X Zone Lures THE ROD GLOVE Target Species prize for landing a massive 15.75" fall fish, combined with a 9.5 white perch, giving him 25.25 inches.

Peter Nyenhuis – 86.5 pts
Peter wasn’t far behind with big fish in the pickerel and bass categories. He racked up solid placing bonuses and caught a variety of species with sharp focus all day, taking home $225.00

Jason Gould – 82.75 pts
Jason brought in quality fish and bonus points to claim third place, claiming his first Atlantic Laser Works plaque and a 13 Fishing Canada rod, along with $150 for his troubles.

Bryan Cawthra – 81.5 pts
Bryan consistently produced fish, including a good showing in chain pickerel and white perch, locking down a strong 4th-place finish.

Jean Muzzerall – 80 pts
Jean rounded out the top five with big numbers in smallmouth, largemouth, and pickerel, staying competitive in nearly every scoring category.
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Shout out to Quinn Marsh, who was the top youth angler on the day, taking home a nice Walters Baits plaque, and winning the prize lure prize draw. And John Frazee for taking home $200 for the lunker bass, a sweet 18.50" smallmouth!

Hook & Paddle ~ Woodstock ~ Tournament Recap
June 21st, 2025 | Woodstock Tourism & Events, NB

They said it might rain... and rain it did. It was like someone cranked on the shower and kept fiddling with the settings all day long. From downpours to sprinkles, soakers to drizzles—anglers battled the elements with soaked sleeves, foggy glasses, and pruned fingers. As the tournament wrapped up, a cool breeze swept across the water, a final rinse to a day where nothing stayed dry—not even the fish!

This year's target species was muskie, but not a single one was brought to the board. That left the field wide open for a good ol’ fashioned multi-species slugfest. With Chain Pickerel holding big value in the scoring system, landing one meant you were in contention—and several anglers made it count.

Top 5 Recap:

1st Place – Chris Bingham (72 pts)
Chris pieced together a strategic day with a 13” smallmouth, a rare 5.75” largemouth, a sunfish, yellow perch, and a crucial 9.25” white perch. But the game-changer? A solid 18.25” chain pickerel and consistent numbers across the board. It's been 4 seasons in the making, but Chris "Dirty" Bingham claims top spot and a beautiful Atlantic Laser Works plaque, and 13 Fishing Canada rod.

2nd Place – Jaret Phillips (62 pts)
Jaret dialed in his pickerel game, stacking up a 22.5” chain pickerel and a 6.50" pumpkinseed sunfish. Throw in a 9” yellow perch and some bonus points—Phillips claims his first HP Podium finish, claiming a Scotty Fishing Products prize -- and not only that, he also took home the Curries Hardware, Gun and Bootshop draw prize -- a brand new Hummingbird Helix 7! What a day to remember!

3rd Place – Andrew Craig (55.75 pts)
With all his catches coming in the last hour, Craig saved his day, and better yet, found himself on the podium for the first time this season landing one of the biggest yellow perch of the day 11.50" Andrew also hauled in a 15.5” smallmouth and a 20.75” chain pickerel. Solid effort taking home a nice Lucky Strike Bait Works prize pack!

4th Place – Jeremy Smelser (53 pts)
Jeremy matched the top chain pickerel mark with a 22.5-incher, backed by strong numbers in the panfish and bass categories landed him a 4th place finish.

5th Place – Aaron Tarr (50.5 pts)
Aaron’s 20” chain pickerel was clutch, paired with a consistent spread in smallmouth, and yellow perch moved him into the top 5!

Total Fish Caught: 189
(Count includes all species columns: Smallmouth, Largemouth, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Chain Pickerel, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Catfish.)

Congrats to Amanda Metz - who took home $190 for the lunker bass comp - 16.50"
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While the muskies kept to themselves this year, it was a gritty, grind-it-out kind of day that tested every angler’s patience, gear, and rain gear. Hats off to all who braved the wild weather and came out smiling through fogged-up glasses and water-logged boots.

Hook & Paddle ~ Mactaquac ~ TOURNAMENT RECAP
47 Anglers | 11 Species | Tough, Windy Conditions

What a day on the water! The tournament kicked off with light winds, but by midday, the breeze turned into a challenge of its own, pushing every angler to adapt and dig deep. Despite the tough conditions, all 47 competitors showed grit and determination, landing 11 different species in a true multi-species battle!

Top 5 Anglers – Standout Performances

Travis Melanson - Total: 126.25 pts
A dominant showing with consistent catches across the board, securing top spot with 14 bonus points and the top placing bonus and a share of the X Zone LuresTHE ROD GLOVE Target Species combo with a 16.50 Largemouth, and 12.50 Fall Fish!

Bryan Cawthra - Total: 118.5 pts
Bryan was right on Travis' tail, collecting 9 species, including a sucker and a share of the target species also with a 17" LMB & 12" Fall Fish.
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Rene Pelletier - Total: 114.5 pts
A well-rounded day with multiple catches — Rene’s 12.75 sucker and solid largemouth put him in a strong podium finish.

Gage Nyenhuis - Total: 96.25 pts
One of the two anglers to land Gaspereau (8.5"), and the only trout on the day showcasing species diversity along with steady catches.

Rihards Dimpers - Total: 94 pts
Strong numbers in both catfish and pickerel helped Dimpers lock in a top-5 spot.
Highlights & Stats:

47 Total Anglers competed in varying winds, making boat control and positioning a real challenge.

11 Target Species including Smallmouth, Largemouth, Trout, Pickerel, Perch (Yellow & White), Catfish, Sucker, Sunfish, Gaspereau, and Chub/Fallfish.
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Hats off to everyone who battled the wind and brought in some impressive numbers. The species diversity and tight scores show just how competitive this field is becoming!
Congrats to Damien, Corey, Elizabeth, and Andrew as they all caught a 17.25 inch bass to claim $50 each as the lunker bass prize pool.

Hook & Paddle ~ Hampton ~ Multi-Species Recap!
Hampton, NB, | May 31 – June 1, 2025
39 anglers. 321 fish submitted.
Many more (especially yellow perch) caught but never made it to the leaderboard...

TOP 5 ANGLERS + SPECIES CAUGHT
1st – Rene Pelletier – 144.5 pts – $500
The man on a mission! Rene submitted 11 eligible species, the highest in the field, including top-tier lengths in chain pickerel (23.5"), striped bass (16"), trout (8"), sucker (18.25"), and white perch (10.5"). He also nailed the X Zone LuresTHE ROD GLOVE target species of sucker, chain pickerel and sunfish, placed in the top 3, and earned bonus points along the way. Pelletier walks away with $500 to start his multi-species season!

2nd – Travis Melanson – 136.75 pts – $400
A strong all-around performance with 10 species, Travis made headlines by setting a new HP record with a 21.75” sucker and 12" Gaspereau. His other standout catches included striped bass (16.5"), trout (10.5"), and consistent scoring across categories like perch and catfish, claiming another beautiful Atlantic Laser Works custom plaque.

3rd – Peter Nyenhuis – 120.5 pts – $300
Peter no stranger to these waters came in with 10 species, including a solid eel, trout, and sucker. A clean, well-rounded weekend that earned him a spot on the podium—and some well-deserved cash!

4th – Rihards Dimpers – 112.75 pts – $200
Rihards crushed the pickerel bite with a 20.25" entry and rounded out his tally with 8 species. His consistency across the board kept him in the mix.

5th – Jean Muzzerall – 106.25 pts – $100
Jean fished smart and efficiently, scoring across 8 species including a nice smallmouth bass (17"), and was the second of only three anglers to find the target species, quietly grinding his way into the Top 5!

Record Breakers
Travis Melanson – 21.75” Sucker, 12.00" Gaspereau – both are NEW HP Records
Chris Bingham – 13.75” White perch – NEW HP Record
Each earned 5 bonus points/record toward their season totals!

Fish Totals
321 fish submitted by 39 anglers!
Yellow perch stole the show—everywhere, all the time, often unmeasured, often maddening. They gaslit nearly every angler on the water.

The Weather
Saturday: Started off calm and overcast, but by mid-day, rain and wind rolled in, making things challenging.
Sunday: Cold, windy, wet—and whitecaps reached up to 40 km/h on open water. Most anglers stuck to the river system, hoping fish would cooperate in tighter channels.

Massive Thanks To:
Mayor Doucette, Kelly, Chris, and the Town of Hampton for hosting and donating the prize money

Gridiron Brewing for the ice-cold Paddlers Ale featuring our HP Limited Cast 1/3 collectible labels

Beer Daddy BBQ for the mouthwatering HP Special that hit the spot after a long day on the water

Clean Drain Dry Initiative for supporting invasive species prevention and spraying down every kayak after the event
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This was a true test of grit, gear, and grind. Thanks to all the anglers who made it out—can’t wait to bring on the next stops Hook & Paddle ~ Mactaquac ~ & Hook & Paddle ~ Woodstock ~ ​