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Panoramic shot of 7500 dollars worth of prizes.
Commodore CYC, Anthony Morando, John H. Vargo, Pat Harbolic in rear, children under 13 in foreground
Pat Harbolic, Chris Pritchard, son Cole, Mother Tracy, with some of the prizes won by Cole.
It began four years ago
as a way of keeping
a tradition alive by
focusing on children!
Pat Harbolic and Tom Colandra, brought
up in the wonderful fishing community of
Verplanck felt that the recreational fishing
industry needed a boost. So with no money
and only a dream the two began talking up
a really tiny striped bass fishing derby for
just a few friends. It wasn’t untll Pat and Tom
began sellng the idea to supporters that they
realized they had hit a “hot button, ” Families
and individuals alike were turning away
from the Hudson River in droves, something
needed to be done.
As the pair sold the idea to participants
and supporters they knew they had a real
hot ticket, that of focusing on children. In
the past three years this concept has grown
to the point that every child entered in the
Haverstraw Bay Classic receives a gift as well
as a standing in the three day Tournament. Up
and down the Hudson River the traditional
striped bass fishing contests were dismantled
as the slot limits made it to difficult to have
individual fisherman follow the rules and still
weigh in a fish for a prize.
Pat and Tom saw it differently. Haverstraw
Bay is fished exclusively with a sliding sinker
rig. (Although on the south side of Croton
Point where the water is only four feet deep
lures of all types are used for catching stripers).
Further, in the past three years bunker, the
main food fish of the oceans, began showing
up by the thousands in Haverstraw Bay. Since
this is also the main diet of striped bass it is
relatively easy to catch large stripers, as long
as the bait is fresh.
Haverstraw
Bay Classic
at the
Cortlandt
Yacht Club
Mike Banahan, lifetime striper fisherman, primarly at the Tappan Zee Bridge