The second leg of a scorching double-header weekend brought anglers to Municipality of Grand Lake NB, in Chipman, NB where the scent of fresh sawdust lingered in the summer air, the wind picked up just in time, and the water teemed with multi-species opportunity. From bass to sunfish, catfish to perch — anglers gave it everything to stack points and land their way to victory in this multi-species format.

With big prizes, wild diversity in catches, and intense competition — Chipman did not disappoint!

TOP 5 ANGLERS
1st – Rene Pelletier – 102.75 pts $500 Winner
Rene locked down the top spot with a well-rounded and gritty effort. He stacked 7 species, including a chunky 16.25" smallmouth, and a healthy chain pickerel. He also added in sunfish, catfish, chub/fallfish, and a won the X Zone LuresTHE ROD GLOVE target species prize pack with 22.50 inches of white and yellow perch. Rene walked away with a dominant win and a $500 payday courtesy of Municipality of Grand Lake NB.

2nd – Gage Nyenhuis – 95.25 pts $300 Winner & Top Youth Angler
Gage proved again that age is no barrier to skill, finishing second in both tournaments this weekend. His day included 7 above average species: a solid 11.75" fallfish, smallmouth, catfish, chain pickerel, white perch, yellow perch, and pumpkinseed. Gage snags another Walters Baits Plaque.

3rd – Jean Muzzerall – 93.75 pts $200 Winner
Jean brought a consistent and tactical approach to the day, catching 7 total species, with kicker 18" smb, and 22" chain. Jean's solid spread and efficient scoring gave him the edge to land in third and claim a well-earned $200 prize.

4th – Michael Marsh – 92.25 pts Only Eel Caught!
Michael had one of the most unique catches of the tournament, landing the only eel of the day! His total included 7 species like smallmouth, pickerel, perch, sunfish, catfish. He narrowly missed his first Atlantic Laser Works plaque but earned massive respect for the rare species.

5th – Chris Bingham – 90.5 pts
Chris fished hard and stacked 7 species, highlighted by a chunky 15.75" smallmouth, strong perch numbers, and a hefty pickerel. His diverse lineup and bonus points pushed him into the Top 5 — a clutch performance in a deep field of anglers.

BONUS HIGHLIGHTS
Lunker Bass: Quinn Marsh took home $150 for a solid 16.75” smallmouth
NB Bass Tour Draw Winner: Quinn Marsh also walked away with a free NB Bass registration for 2.

Terry Lemon Lemon’s Hardware Daiwa Combo Winner: Congratulations to Nicolas Mayne (QC) on the big gear win!

Nixie Knox Gallery HP Plaque Winner: Allan Marsh
Walters Baits Tackle Box Winner: Greg McLaughlin

Special shout out to TJ with Access Paving and Construction who joined us for the weekend!

Huge shout out to Thomas Tower Cranes and Shawn Patterson for sponsoring our Chipman tournament and welcoming us all to your marina!

TOP 5 OVERALL ANGLERS – 2025 HOOK & PADDLE SERIES (After Chipman)
After two hot and weed-choked tournaments in Harts Lake and Chipman, the series leaderboard is starting to take shape — and these five anglers have risen above the pack with consistent, clutch performances in multi-species madness.

1st – Rene Pelletier – 256.75 points
Rene is setting the bar with only two events remaining, claiming 14 of 16 on the species list, Pelletier is looking to continue his consistency, show his range and making a strong run at his 4th series title. Rene’s the one to beat right now, and everyone is looking to catch him.

2nd – Travis Melanson – 244.25 points
Hot on Rene’s tail is Travis, who’s fishing with power and precision. His standout consistency and podium placement along with bonus points are keeping him within range of striking. Don’t be surprised if he surges to the top with one more big catch.

3rd – Bryan Cawthra – 224.25 points
Bryan has had an up and down season, but this past weekend he managed to reel in the only Muskie in the series this season, which vaulted him into a top 3 position. He will need to find a few more species to defend his 2024 HP title looking to remain on the podium down the stretch.

4th – Peter Nyenhuis – 212.75 points
Peter has been near the top of every tournament, managing to find strong species diversity in any conditions. Peter is keeping pace with the leaders, which is no surprise, but don't sleep on this HP Sleeper as he has proven clutch catches when needed.

5th – Jean Muzzerall – 207.25 points
Jean has been quietly stacking points all season long, landing 12 species already, he will rely on execution and bonus potential, Jean is well within striking distance as the series heads into its next stage.
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With tight margins and bonus points in play, anything can happen next. Stay tuned as the Hook & Paddle ~ Oromocto ~ Finale Day 1 Hook & Paddle ~ Fredericton ~ Finale Day 2 is next on the schedule — with plaques, prizes, and pride on the line this year will no doubt be another exciting finish.

43 Anglers. 3 Waterways. 11 Species. One Wild Day of Fishing.
The 2025 edition of the Hook & Paddle ~ Harts Lake ~ tournament on Harts Lake, Coy Lake, and the St. John River brought the heat—literally and figuratively. With 43 skilled anglers hitting the water, the sun blazing overhead, and thick cabbage clogging pedal drives and lures, it was a full-on battle of grit, grind, and green stuff.
Despite the challenges, competitors hauled in a total of 256 fish submitted across 11 of the 16 eligible species and much more caught! From chunky smallmouth and lurking chain pickerel to the surprise catches like muskie, eel and chub/fallfish, anglers proved their versatility and hustle all day long.

Conditions: Hot, bright sun all day
Challenge: Thick weed growth across the lake
Support: Huge thanks to Arcadia Municipal Government for their generous support and prize contributions!

Top 5 Anglers of the Day:
1st – Bryan Cawthra – 138.0 pts
The model of consistency and coverage, Bryan landed 9 species, including standout catches like a 25" muskie, 20.25 eel, and 20.5" chain pickerel. The rare musky and stacking of multi-species earned him $300 and the 1st place Atlantic Laser Works custom plaque!

2nd – Gage Nyenhuis – 127.75 pts
Gage secured 2nd place and $200, with the elusive 11.25" fallfish, a 20.5" chain pickerel, 26.75" eel and solid showings across sunfish, catfish, and perch. A dominant day despite the weed-filled chaos. Gage was also the Walters Baits top youth angler on the day!

3rd – Amanda Metz – 125.25 pts
Amanda crushed it with 21.5" of target species of largemouth + red breast sunfish giving her the X Zone LuresTHE ROD GLOVE prize pack. Add in a 14.5" largemouth, 12.50" catfish, and consistent multi-species catches lander Metz in 3rd place and a $100 cash prize + Lake&Lure Prize Pack!

4th – Travis Melanson – 121 pts
Travis held it down with 9 total species and and had another solid showing - including a monster 19" smallmouth bass - which tied him for the lunker on the day.

5th – Rene Pelletier – 117.5 pts
Rene also landed a 19.00" smallmouth, to claim his share of the lunker bass prize, along with 8 other species to round out the top 5 anglers on the day. 

Event Species Summary:
Total Fish Caught: 256
Species Caught: 11 out of 16 eligible

Most Common Species: Chain Pickerel, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed Sunfish and Catfish
Rare Finds: Eel, Largemouth, Chub/Fallfish, Muskie

Arcadia Municipal Government sponsored the prize pool – thank you for supporting the kayak fishing community!
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Thanks to all 43 anglers for an unforgettable tournament day. From thick weed battles to hot sun and cold drinks at the end, Hook & Paddle Harts Lake 2025 was one to remember.