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| FishTails |
Jackson and Severson Win Youth Tournament
[June 28, 2002] - By Chris Lawrence
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| Jim Catherman Memorial Youth Tournament participants. |
Sunscreen proved to be the most essential tool in the boat for youngsters and guides enjoying the annual Jim Catherman
Memorial Youth Tournament at Sutton Lake June 22. A bluebird sky with a spectacular sunrise served as the backdrop
as tiny heads bobbed up and down in bass boats bouncing through the chop of the morning blastoff.
Although most anglers reported finding fish, getting them to bite proved to be a taller order.
"We saw a lot, but they'd just look at the bait and not eat it." Said one enthusiastic youngster.
To make the tournament more fun, the youth are divided by ages. Those between 13 and 17 years old compete against
one another and the younger age group is for those anglers age 12 and under.
Johnathan Jackson nabbed the top spot in the younger division. Jackson and his adult guide Andy Calvanese weighed
in 4lbs-4oz to earn a $500 payday. Mark Pritt took second place with guide Bob Burgess at just an ounce less than
Jackson. It was an expensive ounce since second place paid $200. Rounding out the money winners were Nathan Lanham
and guide Len Lanham in third. Tanner Bailey and Don Baber scored the big bass with a 2lb. Largemouth.
Matt Severson, partnering with boater Andy Waugh won the older division with a weight of 4lbs-7oz. Stephanie Lewis
and guide Greg Lewis took second place. Sarge Travis, in his final tournament as WV Bass Federation Youth Director,
guided young Samara Nelson to a third place finish. Nathan Lancaster and boater Tim Lancaster placed fourth with
the big fish of the upper division, a 1lb-12oz largemouth.
The aim of the annual youth tournament is to get more youngsters involved in competitive fishing. The effort is
apparently paying off as many familiar young faces donned sunglasses and fishing caps. However, several new faces
were on the front decks as well, casting and reeling their Zebco 33's and learning it doesn't always have to be
a live nightcrawler to catch fish. The youth are the future of the Bass Federation and getting them involved is
the only way of insuring the Federation stays strong. Fifty-four boats were on the water for the tournament-easily
besting last year's draw of 40 participants.
As much as it's a learning process for children-it's a relearning for a few adults as well.
"I'd forgotten how kids are!" laughed WVBF Tournament Director Bob Burgess. "I didn't remember that
they've got to eat, they're sleepy, they got to stop and go to the bathroom!"
Burgess, a formidable adversary in WVBF Buddy Trail competition, says it was enjoyable to have just a lazy day
of fishing. Like several WVBF members, Burgess took somebody else's child fishing. A tip of the cap should be extended
to all who volunteered their boats and time for such an endeavor.
The "Water Works Wonders" campaign has taken an active role in getting children involved. During a recent
conference in Charleston with members of the nation's outdoor press, officials from the campaign challenged every
American fisherman to take somebody fishing for the first time this year.
The campaign notes that America's family unit isn't what it once was. Children today are likely to live in one-parent
households with their mother. Generally fishing isn't the activity mothers will choose to engage their children.
The campaign encourages anglers to take children besides their own fishing-and to take women fishing as well. The
message is introducing children and non-fishermen to the sport gives them a better understanding of the conservation
involved and introduces them to a lifetime of enjoyment.
Anglers will reap the benefits of newcomers as well, since women make up the nation's largest voting block and
children will soon be voters and license buyers as well. As B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Bruce Shupp noted at
the 2002 WVBF Banquet.
"As long as we have somebody at the table, fishing does okay. However, we've got to keep anglers at the table
when issues involving the outdoors are discussed."
The Jim Catherman Memorial Youth Tournament aims to help set that table for years to come. |
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