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2009 National Championship
From Pickwick Lake Alabama... Oct 2, 2009... Dale Gorrell takes 19th place with
his 3 day total of 30.52 lbs. Dale also took 2nd place on the Navy Team.
Wayne Alker, despite boat problems managed 14.89 lbs and 2nd place on the USA Union team
Den Budzitowski came back from a first day skunk with a 3 day total of 16.64 lbs
national news story /
results /
photos
Den's Blog
WOW!!!! What a great event! If you have never gone to a national you have to go. I know alot of guys worry about not being
able to use there boat. Well i got to use mine 2 out of the 3 days. The best thing that happened to me was not using
my boat on day 2. I got paired with a local that lives 5 miles from the ramp, and won there on 1992. He taught me a whole
new way of fishing and it worked for me when i did use my boat again on day 3. As for locals dominating i know Dale has cashed checks
the last two nationals in a row. And of course Jeff was oh so close to winning the AOY boat.
You would not believe the prizes! They gave away 167,000.00 dollars worth of stuff.
Wayne won a brand new power pole. I won a really nice fishing rod. They had a stack of about 10 power poles
they gave away, plus must have been about 200 rods, tons of royal purple oil. Not to mention 3 bass boats.
Practice... Wayne and I found the acorn pattern working in the creeks. Fish a bluff wall with acorns falling like depth
charges beside the boat in 10 to 13 feet of water, with a little current. One acorn hit my deck and must have bounced 5 feet.
Have to remember to bring hard hat next time. The pattern held up on two creeks so I though it would work. We also did good
fishing the canal going up to the locks.
Day 1... I drew a young guy from mississippi (young Ray) but he had not brought his boat. Unfortunately my acorn pattern did not produce. I lost one small keeper
next to the boat and Ray got one. But that was all we got after sepnding half a day on the creek. So we tried the canal with no luck there.
I took him up to the dam. He hooked something big, he tought for sure it was a new state record sm. But turned out to be a nice size drum.
Day 2... I got paired with (Old Ray) who lives 5 miles from the ramp and he is in 3rd place. So of course we use his boat and he had his limit by 8am.
He must have caught 15 keepers and ended up in 4th or 5th place at the end of the day. He taught me how to fish one ounce football jigs in about 20 feet
and current. I got 4 that day for 7 something. But I lost 3 at the boat before I realized you cant give those fish an inch. All they have to do is shake
there head once and that heavy jig is coming out. One of the 3 was a good fish so I should have had more like 9 - 10 lbs.
Spent most of thursday night running around town looking for football jigs. haha..
Day 3... Got paired with Troy from texas he didnt bring his boat either. BTW all 3 of the guys I went out with were great. I would fish with any of them again.
Troy had a bluff on the main lake which produced well for him the day before, and I managed to find a spot like Ray had shown me. First 5 minutes on the
deep water spot I nail a 4 lb 5 oz lm on the 1 oz football jig. Thats it I am a happy camper, boat could have sunk after that and would still have been
happy. Then we went to Troys spot, and fished fenese worms and 1/8 oz jigs. Troy got a small keeper on a bungee rig and I got a decent keeper on a fw.
We bounced back and forth between the two spots most of the day. My Spot produced 3 good fish and at least I didnt miss any this time. Troy had a few bites
on my spot but could not hook up. His spot only produced dinks after that first pass. For the day I ended up with 4 for 9+.
__________________
Den
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October 2, 2009
Dale Gorrell 30.52 lbs
Dale Gorrell 19th
Dale Gorrell 2nd, Navy team
Wayne Alker, 14.89 lbs
Wayne Alker, 2nd Union team
Den Budzitowski, 16.64 lbs
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| AOY |
| 1 | Blake F | 473 |
| 2 | M Piccolo | 374 |
| 2 | Joe C | 372 |
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Mike Tenaglia, Mike Piccolo, Scott Mcdonough and Blake Forrest put on an exciting finish after day one all were with one pound of winning.
But Tenags pulled it out with some really nice small mouth for his second AOY crown. Great Job Mike.
Mike Teti crusied to his second COY title. Great job Mike.
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2023 AOY
Mike Tenaglia |
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2023 COY
Mike Teti |
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Mike Piccolo and Blake Forrest put on an exciting Championship after day one Blake was up by 1 tenth of a pound and they both brought in great limits both days.
Pic did a little better on Sunday bringing home the win and his 3rd AOY title!!! Great Job Mike.
Cody Schwartz and Mike Teti were in a tight battle for COY, came down to the last day but Mike egded out Cody for the COY title.
Great job to both of you!!!
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2022 AOY
Mike Piccolo |
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2022 COY
Mike Teti |
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Matt Weber the young gun, taught all the old guys he is the real deal. Matt put on a late season charge
taking both the 2 day championship and AOY. Great Job Matt!!!!
Cody Schwartz and Joey McCormack battled it out all year for the top co angler spot. It came down to the last day
and one fish could have made the difference. Cody's 6th place finish in the 2 day was just enough to edge ahead.
Great job to both of you!!!
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2021 AOY
Matt Weber |
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2021 COY
Cody Schwartz |
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Ryan Bauman put on an impressive display winning 5, and 2nd twice, in his 2020 campaign for AOY.
Ryan joins the ranks of multiple AOY winners with his second title.
Ray Marcinkiewicz remains the top non boater, winning his 3rd straight COY and 4th overall.
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2020 AOY
Ryan Bauman |
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2020 COY
Ray Marcinkiewicz |
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Mike Piccolo came on strong at the end of the season winning both the 2 day and 2019 AOY.
Doing it in style he posted a new divsion record with 33.23 lbs, for his second AOY crown.
Ray Marcinkiewicz crush the non boater field with an impressive 23.46 lbs and 6.60 lb lunker
to take COY for the second year in a row.
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2019 AOY
Mike Piccolo |
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2019 COY
Ray Marcinkiewicz |
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Tenags was hearing footsteps Rich Przybyl had won the last two in a row
and was within striking distance. A good limit on day one gave Mike a nice lead. But he was
sweating Sunday morning when he watched two fellow competitors load their boat right in
front of him. Mike only had one fish in the boat at the time. But nerves of steal prevailed!
Mike loaded his boat again and put together the largest winning sack in division history
30+ lbs.
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2018 AOY
Mike Tenaglia |
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2018 COY
Ray Marcinkiewicz |
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Den was 2 points behind Tenags, and Scott was breathing down his neck. He didn't think he had much
of a chance but a good limit on day 1 put him in the lead. That limit was anchored by a 3 pounder
that he literally got on his last cast. Day 2 he thought he had lost at 2pm only had two in the boat.
But same place as the day before. He put 3 more in the boat in the last 10 minutes to seal the win.
Joe Ciamaichela Jr wins COY for the 5th time in row. He held off a late charge by Ray Marcinkiewicz
to continue his non-boater dominance. But I think he maybe hearing footsteps!
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2017 AOY
Den Budzitowski |
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2017 COY
Joe Ciamaichela Jr |
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Mike Piccolo took the AOY lead into the 2 day, But after day one, it looked like Mike Tenaglia could pull off
a come from behind win. But Pic brought in a big 17 lb sack on day two to seal the win!
Joe Phillips needed just one more fish, but it was not to be! Joe Ciamaichela Jr wins COY for the 4th year in a row.
Great job Joe!
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2016 AOY
Mike Piccolo |
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2016 COY
Joe Ciamaichela Jr |
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Ryan Bauman took a big lead into the 2 day and did not disappoint. His 12 lb sack on day one
sealed the deal for Angler of the year.
Joe Ciamaichela Jr wins COY for the 3rd year in a row. He was behind going into the finals but pulled out
another title on the last event.
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2015 AOY
Ryan Bauman |
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2015 COY
Joe Ciamaichela Jr |
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Bill Cowperthwait kicked tail for most of the year, and went into the finals with a good lead
but on saturday he could not manage a fish, leaving the door open for AOY. But Bill is
a tough competitor and locked the deal up with a good sack on sunday.
Robert Winward wins the two day championship. A cold front made the fishing tough but Robert
had them figured out when no one else could.
Joe Ciamaichela Jr wins COY for the 2nd year in a row. He had a big lead going into the finals
and crushed all hope amoung his competitors with a 5 pounder on day one.
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2014 AOY
Bill Cowperthwait |
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2014 Two Day Champ
Robert Winward |
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2014 COY
Joe Ciamaichela Jr |
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Win a fishing adventure to Ray Scott's Trophy Bass Retreat.
details...
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Ricky D, crushed the field with a 29 lb sack to win the two day and nail down his 3rd AOY
title and his second in a row. Great Job Ricky your the man!!!
Joe Ciamaichela Jr wins the COY title, he was in a tight race with Randy all year but he
came thru big in the 2 day, to nail down the win. Congrats Joe!!!
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2013 AOY
Rick DiIenno |
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2013 COY
Joe Ciamaichela Jr |
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Ricky DiIenno locks up his 2nd AOY crown. It was a real tight race this year with
three anglers within 2 pts of the lead. Although Ricky could not manage a limit
the fish he did bring were quailty enough to make him our first ever two time winner.
Dale Gorrell wins the two day championship for the second year in a row. He held off
a sunday charge by Mike Piccolo to nail down the win.
Randy Iorio wins COY for the 5th time and 4th straight, the competeition was tough
this year with 4 co-anglers giving Randy a good run.
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2012 AOY
Rick DiIenno |
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2012 Two Day Champ
Dale Gorrell |
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2012 COY
Randy Iorio |
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Mike Piccolo lead much of the year based on 3 early season wins on the flats. But that
did nothing but cause Dale Gorrell to focus. Conditions were tough with high muddy water
But Dale managed the only limit on
the final day to tie Mike for the points lead. Causing a special tie breaker tournament
in which Dale prevaled. Randy Iorio locked up COY for the 3rd straight time, can anybody beat
this guy?
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2011 AOY
Dale Gorrell |
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2011 COY
Randy Iorio |
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Going into the 2 day, four guys within 5 pts of the AOY lead.
Den didn't think he had much of a chance but 2 solid limits
propelled him to win both the Division Championship and AOY.
Randy had a great season, his win on the flats gave him a
commanding lead going into the finals, and a solid limit on
day one sealed the deal for COY.
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2010 AOY
Den Budzitowski |
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2010 COY
Randy Iorio |
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Jeff Lead all year but Tim K, Mike T and Chris D closed the gap and gave us all an exciting finsh to the season.
Jeff was trailing after day 1 but brought in a limit on the last day to win both the division championship and AOY.
Randy broke into a good lead after the final one day event, and slamed the door shut with a good limit on day one
of the finals.
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2009 AOY
Jeff Warner |
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2009 COY
Randy Iorio |
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Ricky D, and Ralph Ferguson were in a tight race all year, but Rick Hung on to his lead on the last day winning both the
Division championship and nailing down AOY. Ray M pulled a great come from behind
win over defending co-angler champ Randy Iorio during the two day.
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2008 AOY
Rick DiIenno |
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2008 COY
Ray Marcinkiewicz |
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Johnny V and Dave Seemans were in the closest AOY race ever, after day 1 of the championship they were separated by only 0.05 lbs.
But John came thru on the last day with a big 13 lb. sack winning both the Division championship and AOY.
The Co-angler race was tight as well with Randy, Rob Santos, Cody Shwartz and Ed Barry all in the running on the last day.
But Randy's experience paid off with a good sack winning COY.
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2007 AOY
John Vanore |
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2007 COY
Randy Iorio |
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Dave Seemans dominated in 2006 with 2 wins, 4 seconds and a 3rd place finish. But Trail Oliver deleiverd an
impressive 21 lb sack for the two day edgeing out Dave for the 2 day championship. But Dave's second place
was more than enuough to earn him well deserved AOY honors.
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2006 AOY
Dave Seemans |
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