SPRING CSA-MADE PLUG TOURNAMENT 2015

The Connecticut Surfcasters Association holds a plug tournament in the spring and fall.  The unique part of this tournament is that the plug must be made or assembled/finished from a plug kit by a CSA club member.  The participant's entry "fee" is to ante a CSA made plug to the pot.  This year's Spring CSA plug tournament just concluded, where we had 14 anglers participate in the competition. 

Early on the bar was set with a 41" fish by our Club President Mike Mullen.  The club watched the tournament page for an update on entries but for over two weeks nothing happened.  Club member Jason Keenan posted that he took a decent fish on a Billy D deep-diving Pikie, but had not entered the tournament.  "Grampa" Greg McNamara chimed in with a report of a 38" inch bass on a Jeff Caputo 14"Needlefish, but it seemed that Mike Mullen's fish might hold as we entered the last third of the tournament hours.

Two days later "Grampa" Greg hit the boards again with a second fish at 41" on a Jay Hanecak BI Green Needle and the tournament got a bit more interesting as not only did we have a tie for first, but the club was getting set for their annual trip to Cuttyhunk where a larger fish wAS a real possibility. 

In the waning hours of the tournament, many gave all their effort in breaking the tie and burning the midnight oil for the win.  The tournament entry deadline came and went without another entry.  Mike said, "I fished right up to midnight trying to win, and at midnight when the tournament ended, I just packed it in."  Mike had only his plugs in his bag for the duration of the tournament.  He added, "I'm relieved in a way that it's over, and can't wait to throw a sluggo again."

Congrats to Mike and Greg and the plug builders!

Mike and Greg will split the pot of 14 CSA plugs at our club picnic!

 

 

The CT Surfcasters Annual MS Plug Raffle

The CSA's annual plug raffle to raise monies for the MS society proudly raised a $700 donation this year.  Thank you CSA members and those who attended the April meeting to help generate these funds.  It supports doctors and scientists who have been working diligently for many years in finding the cause to this disease, and more importantly a cure.  Let's continue to help.

If you would like to know more about MS please visit this website.  National MS Society

 

TONY STETZKO: CT FUNDRAISER A SUCCESS!

We counted the revenue and the expenses of the Tony Stetzko fundraiser night.

The CT Surfcasters donated $100 for the cost of Church Hall. The only other expense was a small donation to the Church.

"I am thrilled and proud to say that we raised $8,000 for Tony's son.  All this in essentially 2 weeks of planning. Really beyond remarkable.  There are so many great guys in our little tiny group of the fishing world and we should all feel so good about it.

And the big event is this Sunday night (the 29th) in Eastham, MA and that is going to be an amazing time with donated catering and relatives and friends not just from the fishing world so if you can make that event you will experience something special." ~Rob Cohn, CSA club secretary.

You can get more information from the We love you Tony Stetzko Facebook page

A special thanks goes out to Toby Lapinski and Rob Cohn for their concerted effort for making such an event happen on short notice.  Another special thank you goes out to everyone who donated time, raffle items, and money.  Thanks also goes out to "Crazy" Alberto Knie and Mike Laptew for donating their time to be guest speakers for the evening.

Tony Stetzko CT event and fundraiser

As the snow releases its grip of the ground, the feeling of Spring is upon us all.  Along with that are a ton of events slated for the near future.  ON THE TOP OF THAT LIST IS A SPECIAL EVENT.

On Tuesday March 24 at 6:30PM - 9:30PM at the First Congregational Church in Madison CT, is a special event and fundraiser to pay respects to Tony Stetzko who passed away due to a long battle with pneumonia on February 25 of this year, as well as to help donate to Tony's young son, an avid surfcaster, Anton III. The fundraising efforts will go towards Anton III's college education fund.  "Crazy" Alberto Knie and Mike Laptew will be the guest speakers for the night to remember and reminisce about Tony and offer some surfcasting talks as well.  Please see the Facebook event page (HERE) for details, and for contributions please contact Toby Lapinski of The Fisherman Magazine.  

An internet radio broadcast from CSA's Rob Cohn on Tony Stetzko can be heard (HERE) from hanradio.com which aired on 3/19.

We hope to see you then