{"id":15913,"date":"2026-04-20T06:21:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T12:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americanbassanglers.com\/news\/?p=15913"},"modified":"2026-04-20T09:22:06","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:22:06","slug":"ej-cusano-wins-season-opener-on-lake-lillinonah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americanbassanglers.com\/news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/20\/ej-cusano-wins-season-opener-on-lake-lillinonah\/","title":{"rendered":"EJ Cusano Wins Season Opener on Lake Lillinonah"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bridgewater, CT \u2013 April 2026 \u2013 The first event of the 2026 American Bass Anglers American Fishing Tour Division 6 season is complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anglers faced unseasonably warm weather with water temperatures between 61 and 65 degrees at Lake Lillinonah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EJ Cusano took first place with a five-fish limit of smallmouth weighing 15.01 lbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also caught the Big Fish, a 3.67-pounder, earning $376 for first and $165 for lunker for a total of $541 plus 190 points and the season\u2019s first blue trophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cusano caught his weight pitching a creature bait to beds in a shallow spawning pocket, with most bigger bites coming later in the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI caught one first thing in the morning in that area,\u201d Cusano said. \u201cThat bite was why I decided to check it out again later in the afternoon, which turned out to be the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ryan Bell finished second with 10.26 pounds for 189 points and $163.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sean Lemanski, last year\u2019s Division 6 Angler-of-the-Year, placed third with 9.50 pounds for 188 points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you to everyone who participated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top 5<\/p>\n

\n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n\n\n MemberID<\/th> MemberID2<\/th> Season<\/th> Circuit<\/th> Region<\/th> Division<\/th> Date<\/th> Date2<\/th> Location<\/th> AnglerType<\/th> Pl<\/th> Name<\/th> F<\/th> FishReleased<\/th> Weight<\/th> Penalty<\/th> BB<\/th> Total<\/th> Pnts<\/th> Payout<\/th> <\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n\n \n \n\n\n
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0<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 2.026<\/td>\n AFT<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 6<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n Lillinonah<\/td>\n D<\/td>\n 1<\/td>\n Ernest J. Cusano<\/a><\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 15,01<\/td>\n 0,00<\/td>\n 3.67<\/td>\n 15.01<\/td>\n 190<\/td>\n 337<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
1.000.037.166<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 2.026<\/td>\n AFT<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 6<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n Lillinonah<\/td>\n D<\/td>\n 2<\/td>\n Ryan P. Bell<\/a><\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 10,26<\/td>\n 0,00<\/td>\n -<\/td>\n 10.26<\/td>\n 189<\/td>\n 153<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
1.000.039.357<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 2.026<\/td>\n AFT<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 6<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n Lillinonah<\/td>\n D<\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n Sean J. Lemanski<\/a><\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 9,50<\/td>\n 0,00<\/td>\n 3.61<\/td>\n 9.50<\/td>\n 188<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
60.530<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 2.026<\/td>\n AFT<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 6<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n Lillinonah<\/td>\n D<\/td>\n 4<\/td>\n John D. Campos<\/a><\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n 8,74<\/td>\n 0,00<\/td>\n -<\/td>\n 8.74<\/td>\n 187<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
0<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 2.026<\/td>\n AFT<\/td>\n <\/td>\n 6<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n 04\/18\/2026<\/td>\n Lillinonah<\/td>\n D<\/td>\n 5<\/td>\n Greg A. Del Russo<\/a><\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n 3<\/td>\n 6,98<\/td>\n 0,00<\/td>\n 3.25<\/td>\n 6.98<\/td>\n 186<\/td>\n 0<\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/tbody> \n\n \n \n \n <\/table>\n\n<\/div>