By Luigi De Rose
Special to BassFan
GANANOQUE, Ontario – Bassmaster Magazine ranked the St. Lawrence River the No. 1 bass fishery in America, but don’t think for a minute that the giant smallmouth know where the border lies. The Competitive Sport Fishing League (CSFL) held its 1000 Islands Cup on Sept. 14-14 and the results were shocking.
The team of Joey Teofilo and Joey Di Cienzo brought a five-bass limit that sank the scales to 32.02 pounds – all smallmouth – setting a new Canadian tournament record on Day 2 of the event. The behemoth limit was anchored by a 7.60-pound smallie. They weighed just shy of 30 pounds on Day 1 for a two-day total of 61.88, distancing themselves from second-place team of Nolan Leger and Alex Gendron (54.56) by more than 7 pounds.
The previous record of 31.88 pounds was set at the 2017 Simcoe Open by Jason Clay and Matt Belzil. Lake Simcoe is a natural lake approximately 50 miles north of Toronto that covers roughly 280 square miles. It’s known for its world-class smallmouth fishery.
“Sunday was amazing," said Di Cienzo. "Once the sun popped out and the wind went slick, we were on! There was a two-hour period that was just magical.
Joey T. was on fire. I broke off the first two and needed to just sit down, eat a sandwich and retire my leaders to collect myself.”
The pair had a limit hovering around the 30-pound mark by late morning. When Di Cienzo secured the 7.6-pounder and culled a 5.8-pound bass, they knew they'd surpassed the magical 31-pound mark.
Despite a stiff east wind, the fishing remained strong for the competitors. Practice wasn’t fruitful at first. The first two days of scouring the depths of the river were pitiful. Once they refocused their efforts on shallow flats, they immediately encountered winning-class smallmouth.
“Presentation was the key factor in us doing well,” said Di Cienzo. “There were other boats around us, but many were frustrated and caught very few. Precise casts and leading way in front of swimming smallmouth was important.”
“Each fish was different. Some wanted the marabou jig dead on the bottom while other fish would follow it to the boat on a straight retrieve,” added Teofilo. “Don’t get into the mindset that you can only fish that jig one way.”
Both favored a G. Loomis NRX+ 902S, spinning rod and feel that the 7 1/2-foot length is critical for casting the ultra-dainty black marabou jigs at cruising, shallow-water smallmouth. The action and length is excellent for subduing acrobatic bass.
Rods were matched with Shimano reels spooled with PowerPro braid. Teofilo prefers 9-pound in red and Di Cienzo scales down to moss green 5-pound line. Both use about 7 feet of either 6- or 8-pound Shimano Mastiff fluorocarbon leaders.
Their handmade marabou jigs ranged between 1/32- and 1/16-ounce. The lightest jigs sport a No. 2 hook and the heavier jig a 1/0. Matching a strong yet small hook while pouring their jigs ensures even the largest bass makes it to the net.
Andrew Pallotta, owner and emcee of CSFL for 28 years, assures that this limit was the largest in Canadian history and guarantees the scales were certified and legal for trade.
“Joey T. and Joey D. are 100 percent the future of the sport," said Pallotta. "They are honest. They help others out and they’re happy and joyful. The energy is over the top. They’re always so positive and it's great for the sport.”
In addition to a, $8,000 cash prize, Teofilo and DiCienzo won the CSFL Team of the Year award that secures a spot in the 2024 Bassmaster Team Championship on the Ouachita River in Louisiana in December.
