2011 JUNIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
2011 JUNIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
We
want to thank everyone
who came out and helped and supported our Junior Anglers at the 2011 Junior
State Championship on Lake St. Clair. We could not have done it without your
help.
Winning Anglers
This was the
very first time we had ever held the Junior State Championship on the famous
Lake St. Clair. We had a total of 30 Junior Anglers attend and fish the
tournament on a beautiful sunny day on the lake. The anglers were a little
limited on how far they could run to fish, but apparently they almost all
figured it out. Several clubs helped out by bringing their boats and being boat
captains while the Junior Angles fished hard all day. In the end, two Junior
Anglers managed to top the rest of the competitors. Austin Ruddell from
Woodhaven, MI in the Michigan Bass Anglers ended up with 14.62 pounds of fish
while Zach Nighswonger from Hamburg, MI. in the
Michigan Bass Busters brought a 11.74 pound sack to the scales. These two junior
Anglers both managed to bring a full five fish limit to the weigh-in for the
day, as did 12 other of the Junior Anglers.
The entire event was "launched" at
the Bass Pro Shop in Auburn Hills, with a Registration Banquet on Saturday.
Boaters, Anglers and their families were all invited to attend and enjoyed a
dinner. The anglers also got to meet their randomly paired boaters. After the
rules were reviewed, the anglers received bags of goodies including Bass Pro
Shop Gift cards to get their last minute baits and supplies.
The Junior Anglers all arrived early
on tournament day, ready to hit the lake. After registering and finding their
boaters, the anglers loaded up their equipment and prepared to launch. The
boaters and anglers all got to see "how the big boys do it" right off the bat.
They got organized and prepared to blast off just like we do for the Adult State
Championship each year. Once on the lake the anglers went in every which
direction. The boaters were not allowed to help with any information
at all. The Junior
anglers were all on their own. Some got their limits early while others
struggled all day. Some of the kids found out that Lake St. Clair can be a great
fishing venue, while others found that the lake can be tough.
The weigh in
crew was all ready to go when the anglers started to arrive back at Metro Beach
Park at 2 P.M. . Everyone was trailered back near the weigh in site where they
could unload their fish and bring them right to the scales. The weigh in went
flawlessly while the crowd of onlookers waited to see how
their Juniors did.
Chapter Team Award
Each Junior
Club competed for a "Chapter Team Award" during the Tournament. The award is
given to the Junior Chapter whose collective efforts of 4 pre-designated Junior
Anglers exceed the other Chapter Team weights. Four (4) members of the Junior
Chapter are designated before the tournament as Team Members, to compete for a
Chapter award. The Junior Michigan Bass Busters took the coveted title this
year. The managed a nice combined total of 34.91 pounds between the 4 anglers,
which was very respectable. The Junior club received a nice trophy for their
combined efforts and each team member will get their own trophy as well.
Big Bass Award
Each angler is
allowed to weigh one of their fish as their Big Bass. The biggest Bass in each
of the two age groups wins a prize and plaque. Jake Dorony from the Junior
Michigan Bass Busters brought a really nice 5.20 pound Smallmouth to the scales
for the 15-18 age group while Kenny Messina from the Michigan Bass Anglers
brought a respectable 3.12 pound Smallmouth in for the 11-14 age group. Several
of the other Junior Anglers brought fish in over 3 pounds.
Overall Report
In all, all 4
Junior Clubs came to the Tournament this year. Macatawa Bass Cubs, the Junior
Michigan Bass Busters, the Junior Michigan Bass Anglers and the Junior Michigan
Bass Gang competed. Anglers are mostly paired up according to age groups with
boaters from other clubs. The clubs are allowed in most part, to pair their
anglers up. The boaters are instructed to not help the Junior Anglers at all,
other than maybe help netting their fish. We try to encourage the Junior Anglers
to do it all, including running the trolling motor all day. This year was the
very first time we ever held the tournament on "Big Water", that is always a
gamble on Lake St. Clair, but this year the weather was as good as it could be.
We did limit the anglers to American Waters only, all of Anchor Bay, the main
Lake and down to the Gross Pointe Yacht Club. Other than that they could go most
anywhere in the lake.
We especially
want to thank everyone for all of our wonderful help this year.
We have never had so many people step up to help out at the banquet and
tournament. It really helped make
things run so much smoother than ever before.
We also want to thank each and every single one of our sponsors again
this year. This would not have been
such a great success without them.
Bass Pro Shops
– NBAA and K&E Lures – National Rods - Blue Cross –Cruncher Baits - Extreme
Tackle
We are already
looking forward to next year’s tournament.
Our two
Michigan Junior anglers will be competing to advance on to the World Junior
Championship in Monroe, Louisiana on Nov. 5th.
Our state is sponsored by the Alliance program.
This is made up of Triton Boats-Mercury Motors- MotorGuide- and
Lowrance. They will be competing for several scholarships and the
winners in each age group that are in the Alliance program will win a complete
Triton boat package.
We all wish
Austin and Zachary the very best of luck in their upcoming tournaments…….
GO MICHIGAN !
This along with
the adult Northern Divisional can be watched on live streaming video on Aug.
10-11-12th. Please check
http://www.bassmaster.com/federation
each day around 3:00 P.M.to watch them all weigh-in.