BFHP Bass Fishing News
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BFHP Bass Fishing News |
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BFHP Fishing News
The American BassFishing Club, Inc.
Kentucky District
Fourth Annual Junior Angler's "Open" Bass Tournament
By: Mike Sexton
Ohio Valley Regional Director
On April 27th ,thirty-three junior bass anglers converged on Wilgreen Lake near Richmond Kentucky to participate in the fourth annual Jr. Angler's "Open" bass tournament. The event is open for participation by any junior angler age seventeen and under. The Kentucky District of The American BassFishing Club Inc., a national adult and junior amateur bass angler tournament trail hosts the annual event. Adult participation is limited to boat handling and netting fish. Only the juniors compete in this very special event. The festivities began with a sponsor-donated cookout held at Wilgreen Marina for all participants, their families and sponsors for the event.
A nominal entry fee of $20 per angler is 100% paid back to the competitors. The $660 in entry fees was combined with funds raised by the Kentucky District raffles, benefit tournament, district membership donations and sponsor donations to bring the total cash pay out for this year's tournament to over $1,000. In addition to over $2,500 in sponsor-donated door prizes awarded by random drawing, each junior angler was presented with a tackle pack, embroidered hat, and certificate of participation. The anglers along with the adult boaters were provided with a very well received, delivered on the lake luncheon of grilled hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and cold soft drinks.
High bluebird skies and bedding fish proved to be a real challenge for this year's competition. Most participants reported catches of small fish in the eleven-inch range, but only a few keepers made it to the weigh in. First place honors went to Chris Long. Chris also laid claim to the "Big Bass" award. Second place went to our only female competitor this year, Elizabeth Tipton. Third place was claimed by A.B.C. junior angler Andrew Luxon and in fourth place was Nate Burton.
This event is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of very special people within our organization. They open their wallets, but more importantly, they give of their time to take those competitors without boat access out for a day of competitive fishing, park cars, cook the food, weigh the fish and on and on. It takes a lot of effort to keep an event like this organized and moving forward. There is no way to list them all here, suffice it to say THANK-YOU for all that you do for this event every year.
A very special thanks to Rev. Adam Dooley of Redhouse Baptist Church for coming out and delivering an early morning benediction for the start of the event. Wanda Nunley and Jane & Bill Sexton for the delivered luncheon on the lake.
Last, but by far not least, a very special thanks to all those sponsoring this year's event with their donations of cash and products. We could not make this event a reality without your support!
2003 Jr. Angler's "Open" Sponsors
Clark Energy (Touchstone Energy Group) The "Cain" Pole Bait & Tackle Madison Bank
Penzoil/Stephens Oil Co./Jenny Lube Wilgreen Marina Bait & Tackle Meadowthorpe Outdoors
Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits Bucks & Bass D&L Baits
Krogers Mike Sells Chips Cabin Creek Baits
Wilder Consolidations Jim Dicken (www.fishingguides.com) Coca Cola
Sherwin Williams Paints Winchester Bait & Tackle Bob Shearer/Georgia ABC
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