The 2009 Bunny Clark Guestletter

Before I end this Guestletter, I want to cite those anglers and experiences of note that deserve an honorable mention for their uniqueness and/or fishing prowess during the 2008 Bunny Clark fishing season. I realize that this is a value judgment on my part but I believe that my conclusions are recognized as a popular opinion and/or statistical fact among my crew and fishing guests and are based on many fishing trips. These special anglers and incidents are as follows:

Fisherman of the Year (FY-'08): Dan Kelley (ME) takes this award for the first time. After two previous seasons of "learning the ropes" and recording some excellent catches (including nearly capturing the all tackle hake world record), he came on this year with a vengeance. After the initial calculations, Dan led his closest competitor by fifty-seven points. The rule of the competition states that if your closest competitor is within thirty points, comparative values points (CVPs) have to be added on the days where they fished on the same trip together. I didn't need to use CVPs but since Dan's closest competitor was Tim Williams, one of the finest groundfish anglers I have ever known and winner of the Fisherman of the Year award for the last four Bunny Clark fishing seasons, I made a "courtesy exception" (for my own piece of mind) and counted the CVPs, just to make sure. In so doing, Dan came out ahead by five points (71 to 66), this from just over twenty fishing trips together, cementing my decision for FY-'08.

[Dan Kelley, shown right, can be seen holding his 29 pound Maine state trophy cusk. Interestingly enough, Fred Kunz, who was fishing right beside Dan, hooked up to what he thought was a huge cusk himself. Fred lost his half way off bottom. The picture, lower left, is Dan again holding up his 41 pound Maine state trophy cod caught on a marathon trip in mid April. ]

As most of you know by now, the FY award is based on a point system that relates to specific achievements during a trip and during the year. Each achievement is worth a set of points. The individual with the most points at the end of the season wins. In order to compete in this category, you have to have paid for and completed at least 10 different trips on the Bunny Clark. I have had many excellent anglers who fish with us on a regular basis every season, any one of whom has the potential to become the Fisherman of the Year. Dan was consistently the best or one of the best anglers last season. His fishing ethics, ability and success with the big ones made him so. Dan recorded more trophy landings than any angler in recent history and since the mid to late 1980s. His trophies were exceptionally large as well. Included in Dan's trophy bag last season were some of his personal bests including his largest cusk at 29 pounds, his largest cod at 41 pounds (tenth largest of the B. C. season), his largest haddock at 8 pounds and his largest redfish at 3 pounds. He was simply the best angler of the Bunny Clark fishing season. I want to congratulate you, Dan, for winning this award (and showing us the magic). For me, as a professional bystander, it was indeed a pleasure having you aboard and watching all the excitement. A lot of exceptional things go into a year that aren't included in this award. And there were a lot of those as well, making it extra special for me. Thank you. I wish you a most successful fishing future!

Dan's total point count was 346 (without CVPs). Tim Willams took second place with a point total of 289. Dick Lyle (ME) was third with 95 points. I am reminded that all three anglers fish with jigs and jig sticks and, almost exclusively, do not fish a cod fly over the jig. Dan never fishes with a fly. These accomplishments become even more meaningful when you consider that they are limited to only one fish a drop (with rare exceptions). It certainly makes it that much harder then to reach high hook status on a given day and almost eliminates you from the points that could be gathered by landing one of the top five double keeper catches of the season.

Female Angler of the Year: Gloria Gennari (MA) wins this award for the third season in a row. Her consistency never fails to compliment her ability and her command over even the toughest fishing conditions is just exciting to watch. She was, without a doubt, the best last year.

Best Bait Fisherman: For last year's Guestletter, I had no one who stood out from the Bunny Clark's angling world as the consummate bait fisherman. This year, thankfully, I was able to come up with someone who (with a unanimous crew vote) fits the bill. This angler is none other than Ray Westermann (MA). Ray shamelessly baits anything with a hook on it. It doesn't matter if he's using a fly, a jig or a bait hook. This year he was particularly successful landing his largest hake, a Maine state trophy of 30.5 pounds, his largest redfish, also a Maine state trophy at 2.75 pounds and one of the largest pollock of the Bunny Clark season weighing 21.5 pounds, all while using "something" with bait on it. Nice going, Ray!

Most Aces: For those who don't know, an angler scores an ace when he or she lands the three (or more) largest fish during a single trip. There can be no ties in fish size with other anglers in order to achieve true "ace" status. There were three anglers who qualified for an ace last season (this is about normal for a season). The first and best was caught by Tim Williams during the June 5, 2008 marathon fishing trip. On that trip he went one better and caught a "double ace", the four largest fish of the trip. His fish included a 21.5 pound pollock, a 16.5 pound cod which he tagged & released alive, a pollock of 15 pounds and another pollock of 15 pounds. The second ace occurred during the July 5, 2008 full day trip with Captain Ian Keniston. On that trip, Art Kemler, Jr. (PA) caught a 12.5 pound pollock, an 11.5 pound pollock and an 11 pound cod as the three largest fish of the trip. The third ace was caught by fellow avid cyclist John "Buzz" Leonard (ME) during the extreme day trip of August 25, 2008. His three largest fish for the trip included a 17 pound pollock, a 14 pound cod and a 14 pound pollock.

Most Trophy Fish (including hake over 15 pounds, cod & pollock over 20 pounds and monkfish over 10 pounds) of the Season: Dan Kelley caught the most with a count of eighty-five, almost eleven percent of the total trophy count caught on the Bunny Clark last season. Tim Williams was second with a count of fifty. Dick Lyle was third with twenty-four counters.

Most Trophy Fish during a Trip: Tim Williams caught ten trophies on July 22, 2008, nine of which were between 23 and 33 pounds. Dave MacDonald (MA) and Steve Selmer (NH) tied with the second most trophy fish (seven) for a trip. Dan Kelley, Jon Tesnakis (NY) and Dan Kelley (again) tied for the third most trophies for a trip with a six count.

Most Pools (largest fish of the trip): Tim Williams landed the largest fish of the trip six times. Dan Kelley, Ray Johnson (NH), Jay O'Connor (ME) and thirteen year old Sam Robichaud (FL) landed the second most pools with a count of four each. Shawn Rosenberger (PA) landed the largest fish of the trip on three different occasions.

High Hook: Tim Williams was high hook (the most legal fish on a trip) at least thirteen times (trips) that we know of. Dan Kelley was second in this category with nine counts that we know of. Frank Noble (ME) and Ray Johnson were third tying at eight counts each - that we are sure of.

[The picture on the right is a shot of Jim Lennon (NY) holding his 24.5 pound pollock caught during a September offshore marathon trip in 2008.]

Hardest Luck: One day that stands out in my mind as a mixture of good luck followed by hard luck was on June 24, 2008 when fourteen year old Alec Levine hooked a bluefin tuna of about 150 pounds with a jig stick. Alec fought the fish perfectly for forty-five minutes to bring the fish to gaff. When the fish reached the surface we could see that the fish was hooked by the skin on the side by the fly that (before he had started fishing) had been located over two feet above the jig on his line. The tuna had taken the jig in the mouth initially but had caught the fly in its side during the fight and had caused the jig to bust off. We got within two feet of gaffing the fish before it took, what seemed like, a dying run only to get caught in some gill net gear on the bottom! Alec fought this fish (or gill net) for forty-five minutes more before breaking the line! Certainly a heart breaker!

Tim Conant (MA) had a bad year last year. He never did catch many, if any, legal fish on any trip he attended. His worst day, his first day, was a marathon trip on May 20, 2008. He didn't catch a single fish until the very end of the day when he was observed taking a seven inch sub-legal cod off his line. This in the face of one of his best friends, Chris Porter (MA), who was high hook with twenty plus legal fish (including a 6 pound haddock) and loads of good advice that, had Tim listened, would have helped!

Greg Johnson (NH) is truly a wonderful individual and a good fisherman. So, it was with some dismay, for me, that when it was time to leave for the marathon trip that morning last fall, Greg was nowhere to be found. Turns out that Greg got the times mixed up. He booked a hotel room the night before, followed through with a nice dinner along with his significant other, got to bed early and showed up at the dock the next morning fifteen minutes or more after the Bunny Clark had left for the fishing grounds. He wasn't even early enough to see the lights of the boat disappearing off the horizon!

Most Improved Angler: It took a while to cement in my mind just who would be most deserving of this award. Even though Steve Levine is technically a good angler, I believe he fits in this category. He fished on party boats (mostly the Bunny Clark) for six years, never catching a fish larger than 13 pounds. We used to joke about the curse of the "13", as so many of his fish were just that size or smaller! Finally, on June 17, 2008, the curse was lifted when he boated a 28.5 pound Maine state trophy white hake. This seemed to open a floodgate of big fish. His next big fish was caught on July 1, 2008, a 46 pound Maine state trophy cod, the fifth largest cod of the Bunny Clark fishing season! After this day he caught Maine state trophy hake of 30, 27.5, 35.5 and 26 pounds as well and cod and pollock up to 15 pounds with regularity. I don't know what you fixed, Steve, but if you package it, I could certainly sell it. I would even be willing to see you half!

Missing: Dennis LaValley (MA), the originator of the Lavjig, never made it on the Bunny Clark for the second season in a row. There were just too many things going on in his business and at home. We certainly wish him luck but, mostly, we wish him here! He remains my biggest donor supporting my bicycle ride in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, trying to find a cure for cancer. Maybe if Merv Murphy (NH) would challenge him with that 51 pound cod, we might get a glimpse of that super fisherman on the old "Bunny".

[The picture on the left shows Chris Porter holding his 20.75 pound Maine state trophy monkfish caught on an offshore marathon trip the last day of October 2008. ]

Best Team: Tim Conant & Wobby Barnes (MA) fished together on a marathon trip in the fall. As a matter of fact, they fished so close together, it was as if they were joined at the hip. Of course, they may have enjoyed each others company but they suffered for it as the ensuing tangles were just horrific and they caught few fish. The only time the tangles stopped was when Wobby decided to get up, go to the forecastle and take a bunk!

Exceptional Good Luck: I would say that this following experience was more the case of the good getting lucky. This kind of luck just doesn't happen unless you are good. I'm referring to the marathon trip of October 8, 2008. Tim Williams fished for most of the trip that day with not nearly the great landings he is known for. As a matter of fact, he remained an unknown for most of the day. However, no truer words were ever spoken when someone said; "It's not over until it's over". With ten minutes left to go in the trip, Tim caught, first, a 28 pound Maine state trophy white hake and then, just as soon as he got his line to bottom, he hooked into a 28.5 pound Maine state trophy cod which, of course, he landed. The cod was the largest cod of the season for Tim and the two fish were the two biggest fish of the trip winning him the only two pools that were offered on the boat that day!

Biggest Double: Al Goodlunas (PA) and Tom Walsh (NJ) tied for the largest double keeper catch (two fish caught on the same line at the same time) of the 2008 fishing season. Al's double included a 32.5 pound Maine state trophy white hake and a 28.5 pound Maine state trophy white hake caught in mid October. Tom's included a 34 pound Maine state trophy white hake and a 27 pound Maine state trophy white hake caught in early November. [In fact, Tom had fished with me for years and had never caught a single trophy fish on any trip. The day of the big double he also caught the largest redfish of his life, a 2 pound Maine state trophy, and he also caught another trophy hake of 29 pounds!] The third largest double was caught by Bob Smith (NJ) in June. His double included a 33 pound Maine state trophy white hake and a 26 pound Maine state trophy white hake. Gregg Rothermel (NE) came in fourth with a double that included a 30 pound Maine state trophy white hake and a 20.5 pound white hake. Abe Gadjo (NY) came in fifth with a double that included two pollock of exactly 20.5 pounds each!

Note: Marc Pagnozzi (CT) landed the most double keeper catches of the year (for a single trip) on May 22, 2008. His actual count was fourteen; his best double that day included a 10.5 pound cod and a 16 pound pollock.

Quote of the Year: "Well, [Captain] Ian did something that you have never done for me before!" a quote from Fred Kunz to me shortly after the boat got back from one of Captain Ian's extreme day fishing trips which Fred had just attended. Fred always seems to find some salient redeeming feature of a trip that he is on when I am not the captain and, obviously, not there. This quote has been well used by Fred over the years to me referencing every captain that has run the boat for him in my absence. Luckily for me he has never come off the boat and said; "This trip sucked!" with the possible exception of a trip I captained for him in April 1992!

[The picture on the right shows Dave MacDonald holding his 2 pound Maine state trophy redfish caught during the ultra marathon invitational, mid July 2008.]

"It was big." This is a quote from Captain Ian Keniston who had been working the deck for Captain Tim (me) on a marathon trip in October. Jon Tesnakis (NY) had a big fish on but, as is typical of Jon, he didn't want to get everyone excited (call for the gaff) before he saw exactly what he had on his line. When he did, he also realized that there was a big blue shark right behind the tail of this big pollock he had on the line. Ian got a look at the fish but nowhere near in time to rescue Jon's fish from the jaws of this hungry shark. I got his quote after I asked him how big the pollock actually was, as Jon was acting hugely disappointed. Knowing that Ian is incapable of prevarication and also knowing that overstatement is not in his nature, I would say that the pollock was probably over 30 pounds or one of the biggest of the year - had it been weighed!

Most Unusual Catch: Arnie Buza (NJ), an excellent fisherman who has had a few blue sharks "by the balls" [his quote] over the years, hooked on to a bluefin tuna while jigging for cod in early October (on the second stop of the morning). He broke the fish off before I had a chance to see what was going on because he "didn't want a blue shark to take all his line." Much later that same trip, Arnie took a cast off the bow only to have another bluefin take his jig and go screaming aft with his line. The surface tension was so great on the line that the line parted again, this time without Arnie's help. Fifteen minutes later on this same drift, Iggy Goula (PA - Little Fred's buddy) hooked into his broken line and got his jig back! Apparently, the tuna had shaken the jig out of its mouth shortly after Arnie's line had broken off and we were just lucky to be drifting in the right direction!

Unexplained Phenomena:

The nuts and bolts of running the Bunny Clark day in and day out has been a big task since I launched the boat in 1983. I ran the boat every day until 1996 when I elicited help by sharing the captaincy. Then my concerns changed to include my children who were born in 1993 and 1994. I decided to also work as a manager at my father's restaurant in Perkins Cove, Barnacle Billy's, Inc. This gave me the time to work the boat and run the Bunny Clark business, help our family business and have some time to be with my own family and kids. The Bunny Clark business became more proficient without me as the primary captain and mate's position became more refined. At this point, I have established a level of consistency I never thought I would attain without my direct involvement. To this end I have to thank, with all my heart, the efforts of Captain Ian Keniston (my right hand), Jared Keniston (my best mate) and Captain Tom Corbett, my summer Sunday captain. With them, I have a business I have become very proud of with many successes every year. Without them, it would be just another fishing boat. Thank you very much, my great crew, you are the very best!

[Left; a digital image of Fred Kunz holding his double keeper catch of cod caught on the August 28, 2008 marathon trip. The larger cod weighs 17.75 pounds while the other weighs 11.5 pounds.]

Before I end this letter, I want to thank those behind the scenes individuals who keep the business going while we are out fishing. I am talking about our shore captains and the Admiral herself, my wife, Debbie Tower, without whom I could not do this. Renée Stevens, our second in command, works for us in the winter, helps us keep the computers running, crunches many of the numbers for the newsletter and the books, works the phone and is certainly our best asset behind Deb. Jane Staples spends more time than anyone on the phone, talking to customers and there to meet the boat most of the time - as well as working on the business computer at home. My neighbor since we were kids, Jane has always been available to do things, seemingly, at a moments notice. I appreciate her good humor and all her good work.

Of our reservationists, we welcomed Alison Carey (MA), my daughter, Halley Tower and Katie Graichen (ME) back, Alison for her fourth season, Halley for her third and Katie for her second. We are very happy with these special ladies/individuals, their work ethic, their trustworthiness and their ability to work well with our customers (and with us). Thanks so much.

We included Eliza Jacobs (ME), a school mate of Halley's, on the list of reservationists last season and I'm glad we did. She worked really well for us and our customers last year and I truly hope she is with us again this season.

I am happy to be able to report that Renée, Jane and Halley will be on board this upcoming season ready to welcome the guests and help us run the business. The other girls will let us know if they will be coming back by March 1st.

This was the second year of my riding in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, an 192 mile two day cycling event in August to raise money for cancer research and care at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts through the Jimmy Fund. Although not really a part of this Guestletter, most of the money that was contributed for this fund raiser came from you, my loyal Bunny Clark anglers. For this I am very grateful and appreciative - knowing, also, that this is much bigger than me. Through a whole year of donations, I was able to raise $26, 625.00 towards the cause. Dennis & Diane LaValley, of Lavjig fame, gave the most with total for last year of $2,500.00. However, they have supported me both years and have already donated $1,500.00 towards this year's ride. To me, putting the money into the DFCI is a "no brainer" as it is rated the number two cancer research facility in the country, one hundred percent of your donation goes directly to the cause, I have first hand knowledge of the wonderful work they do and the Institute is located in our own back yard! This takes a lot of my personal time both in paperwork and in physical training but I feel that the benefits to those with the disease more than out weighs the time it takes me being involved. And, of course, I am rewarded by those hundreds of people on the road thanking us during the ride. Thank you so much for your support.

From left to right: Yours Truly, Bryant Mitchell, my niece, Abby Mitchell and, my inspiration and best friend, Paul Haseltine. The shot was taken by Steve LaPlante (who has driven from home twice to see us off at the start of this great event) at 5:00 AM, August 2, 2008.

The Bunny Clark's First Barn Door Skate

The picture above shows Rick Gelaznik (MA) holding the first barn door skate (about 20 pounds in weight) the Bunny Clark has ever seen. A quick picture of this fish was taken by Captain Ian Keniston and then the fish was released back to the ocean alive. This picture was taken during the October 4, 2008 full day trip.

If you want to send me e-mail, the current address is ttower@bunnyclark.com. The general email address is info@bunnyclark.com.

With this web site in general, I hope to keep you current on all of the fishing particulars on the Bunny Clark and include updated information on fishery management decisions that could potentially affect us. For a current report go to the Fishing Update section from the link located on the index page of this web site. Thanks!

Back To Home Page, Deep Sea Fishing Maine