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Team Rock On · 06-10-2002, 01:33 PM

Heffernan's Bella D wins striper tourney
06/10/2002

BY TOM MEADE
Journal Sports Writer

SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Barry Heffernan's Bella D, out of Highlands, N.J., won its second consecutive American Striper Association Tournament yesterday with a 42.54-pound fish. The winner was less than two ounces heavier than the second-place 42.43-pounder Kevin Savage landed aboard Rock On during the June Moon Madness Tournament at Snug Harbor Marina.

With Bill Strehl on the rod, Bella D caught the winning fish by trolling a parachute jig on wire line off Block Island's Southwest Light.

Out of Hingham, Mass., Savage caught the second-place fish on mackerel off Boston Light around 10 a.m. He hammered his 29-foot Fountain down to the Cape Cod Canal doing 45 knots (the boat is capable of 62 knots), before hitting 18-knot headwinds and four-foot seas in Buzzards Bay that slowed the boat to 15 knots before completing its 100-mile run to Point Judith. Saturday, with Bobb Carr on the rod, Rock On landed a 33.5-pound striper, also off Boston.

Friday, Heffernan's crew aboard the 24-foot True World Marine, Bella D, didn't weigh in a fish.

Two weeks ago, Bella D won the American Striper Association's tournament in New Jersey, and one of its crew, Pat Kaminsky of Middletown, N.J., won the women's division. Kaminsky won again yesterday.

A Rhode Island boat, Rocky's Revenge, with Rocco D'Angelo Jr. at the helm, placed third after tournament officials disqualified a Connecticut skipper for fishing before the 6:30 a.m. starting time. Fishing aboard Rock's Revenge, Joe D'Angelis landed a 34.18 pounder. Nine-year-old Brandon D'Angelo, the skipper's son, caught a 33.35-pound bass Saturday to win the junior division.

On both days of the tournament, D'Angelo fished live herring on a three-way rig with a 50-pound leader off the east side of Block Island. The current was so strong that it took 10 to 12 ounces of lead to keep the bait in the strike zone. Saturday, the 29-foot Luhrs caught several fish over 20 pounds in addition to the 33-pounder that fought Brandon for 20 minutes.

Both days produced fish that D'Angelo called average for that area.

In the Surf Division, Jon Dodd of South Kingstown fished live eels along the shore of Stonington, Conn., to catch a 25.3-pound bass, the winning fish.

Nigel Harrison of Plantation, Fla. flew into Rhode Island Thursday for an evening of practice and caught a 25-pounder at Stinky Beach in Narragansett on an eel. He returned to the spot Saturday night and took another 25-pounder for second place in the tournament.

Alex Hoxie won the Junior Surf Division with a striper weighing 14.1 pounds.

06-10-2002, 01:33 PM	#9
Team Rock On Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 305	Heffernan's Bella D wins striper tourney 06/10/2002 BY TOM MEADE Journal Sports Writer SOUTH KINGSTOWN -- Barry Heffernan's Bella D, out of Highlands, N.J., won its second consecutive American Striper Association Tournament yesterday with a 42.54-pound fish. The winner was less than two ounces heavier than the second-place 42.43-pounder Kevin Savage landed aboard Rock On during the June Moon Madness Tournament at Snug Harbor Marina. With Bill Strehl on the rod, Bella D caught the winning fish by trolling a parachute jig on wire line off Block Island's Southwest Light. Out of Hingham, Mass., Savage caught the second-place fish on mackerel off Boston Light around 10 a.m. He hammered his 29-foot Fountain down to the Cape Cod Canal doing 45 knots (the boat is capable of 62 knots), before hitting 18-knot headwinds and four-foot seas in Buzzards Bay that slowed the boat to 15 knots before completing its 100-mile run to Point Judith. Saturday, with Bobb Carr on the rod, Rock On landed a 33.5-pound striper, also off Boston. Friday, Heffernan's crew aboard the 24-foot True World Marine, Bella D, didn't weigh in a fish. Two weeks ago, Bella D won the American Striper Association's tournament in New Jersey, and one of its crew, Pat Kaminsky of Middletown, N.J., won the women's division. Kaminsky won again yesterday. A Rhode Island boat, Rocky's Revenge, with Rocco D'Angelo Jr. at the helm, placed third after tournament officials disqualified a Connecticut skipper for fishing before the 6:30 a.m. starting time. Fishing aboard Rock's Revenge, Joe D'Angelis landed a 34.18 pounder. Nine-year-old Brandon D'Angelo, the skipper's son, caught a 33.35-pound bass Saturday to win the junior division. On both days of the tournament, D'Angelo fished live herring on a three-way rig with a 50-pound leader off the east side of Block Island. The current was so strong that it took 10 to 12 ounces of lead to keep the bait in the strike zone. Saturday, the 29-foot Luhrs caught several fish over 20 pounds in addition to the 33-pounder that fought Brandon for 20 minutes. Both days produced fish that D'Angelo called average for that area. In the Surf Division, Jon Dodd of South Kingstown fished live eels along the shore of Stonington, Conn., to catch a 25.3-pound bass, the winning fish. Nigel Harrison of Plantation, Fla. flew into Rhode Island Thursday for an evening of practice and caught a 25-pounder at Stinky Beach in Narragansett on an eel. He returned to the spot Saturday night and took another 25-pounder for second place in the tournament. Alex Hoxie won the Junior Surf Division with a striper weighing 14.1 pounds.