STOP #1 - HAMPTON

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 ~ ​