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Cousvis Wins First Rice Lake, Kawartha Cup!
Nick Cousvis captures the 1st Canadian Pro Bass Tour Kawartha Cup, taking home a $10,000.00 cheque.
The inaugural event all came together at the orientation meeting that took place last Thursday afternoon as Pro’s and Am’s from across the province came together in the Town of Hastings wearing their poker faces and filling the room with anticipation that must have been felt even by the fish.
The pre-orientation meeting for the Am’s allowed them to ask the unknown as tournament director Tom Brennan prepared them for the event that would change the way they fish for life. One by one each Am drew their own fate. At the official orientation meeting it was announced that the previous Pro Bass Tour sponsors would also support the Kawartha Cup with added contingencies increasing both pay structures considerably.
For many 7:00 am could not have come soon enough while it arrived much to fast for others, as the boats lined up in single formation and blasted off on Rice Lake in search of the lake’s elusive giants.
As 3:00 pm fast approached so did the anglers as they began to appear one by one with a direct line to the weigh-in site. The crowd came alive with JP DeRose hosting the event and a very welcoming crowd cheered on. As the first day came to an end, less than two pounds separated the top 3 teams. With Cory Johnston taking the lead on day one with a 20.1 lbs, bag, followed closely by Nick Cousvis with 19 lbs and Sean McLaughlin very much in the game with an 18.15 lbs bag followed by the rest of the heat all within range of winning.
As the sun rose on day two revealing blue skies and relatively flat waters, boats once again in formation blasted off in the order in which they had finished on day one. As the second day came to an end the hot seats were well used as new anglers could claim the seat with each lead change. JP once again did a great job entertaining the crowds as Nick Couvis weighed a second big bag of 18.05 lbs for an impressive total weight of 37.05 lbs, enough to capture the first Kawartha Cup and a $10,000.00 cheque plus contingencies. Cory Johnston brought in a total weight of 34.25 lbs claiming second place and his younger brother Chris Johnston right there in third place with 32.15 lbs and his first day’s 5.1 pound smallmouth held strong taking the overall big fish of the event.
Congratulations goes out to Nick Couvis, the first Pro to win of the Kawartha Cup and to Alex Solomeanciuc the first Am to win the Kawartha Cup.
