It was an early start for many of the 23 anglers competing in today’s HP bass tournament on Wauklehegan Lake in Village of McAdam. Some early risers launched and were on the water as early as 6:00 AM, scouting the lake’s hidden corners and prime fishing zones in preparation for the tournament start. Setting the tone for a competitive and high-energy day on the water. With clear skies and only a light breeze throughout the day, the weather was ideal for casting lines and chasing smallmouth and largemouth bass.

Top 5 Anglers of the Day
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1. Rene Pelletier – Dominated the leaderboard with a stellar 87 points, showcasing consistency and precision throughout the day, but clinched the day with the St.Croix Atlantic Seviin Reels Lunker of the day a chunky 19.75 inch bucketmouth! This landed Pelletier a sweet rod/reel combo for HP Bass Lunker of the Year.

2. Andrew Wadden – Had a quick start to his day, witha a 19.50” wadden landed hos Forstplaque of the season in 2nd place, just behind with 85 points, Andrew kept the pressure on with a strong performance, and plenty of catches.

3. Travis Melanson – Secured third place with 79.25 points, with a last minute cull, Melanson was proving his skills in navigating bass hotspots.

4. Justin Hines – Finished with yet another clutch performance, just behind the podium by an inch with 78.25 points, demonstrating solid technique, hard work and strategy.

5. Jean Muzzerall – Rounded out the top five with 77.75 points, delivering a commendable effort in a tightly contested field.

With only a 9.25-point spread between third and fifth, the competition was fierce and the fish were biting. The anglers made the most of the sunny skies and calm waters, turning Wauklehegan Lake into a battleground of finesse and focus.

Special Thanks: A heartfelt thank you to the Village of McAdam for warmly hosting this stop on the tournament circuit. Your hospitality and support made the event a true success.

Now for the Year End Awards
2025 HP Bass Angler of the Year presented by 506 Tackle Supply goes to Justin Hines -- Justin's 1st place, 3rd place and 4th place finishes were enough to squeak out the competition by just 5 points. Hines's consistency all season long is the reason he takes home a $1,500 cheque and the Angler of the Year trophy provided by Cutting Etch Design - Congratulations on an awesome season!

2025 Lunker of the Year presented by St.Croix Atlantic Seviin Reels was awarded to Rene Pelletier, for his 19.75" bass today in McAdam -- Pelletier also finished 2nd overall just 5 points behind Justin -- with 1st, 3rd and 5th place finishes Pelletier kept the pressure on all day.

Travis Melanson rounded out the top 3 for this years bass season -- narrowly missing silver by just 5 points as well -- our top three anglers really kept the pressure on each other right down to the wire -- but the good news is all 3 have qualified for the 2025 HP CLASSIC ~ NACKAWIC ~ in partnership with Destination Nackawic Fredericton Capital Region Tourism

Here are the rest of the top 15 anglers to qualify for the classic:

4 - Andrew Wadden
5 - Matthew Fast
6 - Ben Woo
7 - Andrew Craig
8 - Jeff Rathburn
9 - Matthew DeSilva
10 - Corey Hobson
10 - Matthew Paton
12 - Rihards Dimpers
13 - Quinn Marsh
14 - Bryan Cawthra
14 - Ivan Khimich

Next Up: Anglers now set their sights on the Hook & Paddle Classic coming this September — this 2 day event promises even more excitement and competitive spirit as 30 qualified anglers battle for a spot on Team Canada!
Shout out to Nixie Knox Gallery for the HP Qualified Keychains
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As the sun set over McAdam, the camaraderie and sportsmanship among the all HP Bass participants made this tournament and season a memorable one. Here’s to tight lines and even tighter competition in the next round!

What a day on the water! 22 anglers hit the beautiful waters of Mactaquac for the long awaited second stop of the HP Bass Series presented by 506 Tackle Supply. The morning bite was with perfectly calm conditions, anglers waited patiently on their spots until lines in.. but as always, a bit of wind and some major heat rolled in and made things interesting.

Some anglers played the shoreline game, while others ventured mid-lake to chase the bite. When the final lines were out and the scales tallied, 93 fish were registered, and here’s how the top of the leaderboard stacked up:

#1$619.00 – Travis Melanson (NB) – 82.00”
A consistent bag across the board, Travis kept the momentum rolling with a solid 17.50” bass to start and stayed strong through to the last cast.

#2$495.00 – Andrew Craig (NB) – 81.75”
Just a quarter-inch shy of the top spot! Andrew had a strong morning bite and held steady with a well-rounded lineup of largemouth bass.

#3$330.00 – Justin Hines (NS) – 80.50”
Leading off with a chunky 18.75” smallmouth, Justin made an early statement and stayed in the mix all day long, patiently fishing deep water for the right bite..

#4 – Quinn Marsh (NB) – 79.25”
Quietly climbing the leaderboard with strategic moves and shoreline control — great finish for Quinn in a tight field!

#5 – Rene Pelletier (NB) – 78.75”
Rene kicked things off with a strong 17.75” fish and ground it out through the heat to stay in the Top 5!

Matt Fast reeled in a beauty 19.50 inch Smallmouth Bass for +5 Bonus Points for lunker on the day.

It was a hot one, but these anglers showed cool heads and sharp hooks! Check out the full standings here --> https://tourneyx.com/app/dashboard/view-standings/23326

HP Bass Series – Overall Standings After Stop #2!
With Woodland Flowage and Mactaquac in the books, the race for the top is heating up! Here's your Top 5 Anglers Overall after two intense stops:

1. Justin Hines – 195 pts
Back-to-back strong finishes, including a 1st place at Woodland and 3rd at Mactaquac, plus bonus points — Justin remains the overall leader!

2. Travis Melanson – 180 pts
Mactaquac champ and always in the mix — Travis move up 4 spots and is only 15 points behind with serious momentum heading into Stop #3.

3. Rene Pelletier – 170 pts
Solid and steady — with a 3rd and 5th place finish so far, Rene is proving consistency is key!

T-4. Matthew Fast – 130 pts
Strong early start at Woodland, and a massive 19.50" smallie kept him within striking distance. One big finish could launch him up the board.

T-4. Jeff Rathburn – 130 pts
Top 5 at Mactaquac helped Jeff climb up 5 spots into a tie for 4th — he’s one to watch heading into the next stop!

This race is far from over. Stay tuned our final stop of the bass series HP BASS SERIES ~ MCADAM ~ as things are heating up for the overall Angler of the Year and the much anticipated Hook & Paddle Classic Qualification spots!
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Shout out to all the Nova Scotia anglers that made the trip 506 Tackle Supply as the HP Bass presenting sponsor, and Nate from @cuttingetchlaserdesign for the awards!