Tag: Kansas Bass Youth Team Series

2020 BASS NATION JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Nick and Kyle had a great showing this year at the 2020 BASS Nation Junior National Championship on Carroll County. We had been to the championship 3 out of the last 4 years, and we really wanted to have a good finish.

During pre-fishing, we had found one really productive area, and had difficulty finding any other areas. We had a lot of luck throwing a small swimbait with different types of jig heads with spinners and without. During different conditions, one would work better then the other. With all the pressure, a 1/4oz. ballhead would be the most productive. Never have we fished a tournament without a baitcaster on the deck; we had 8 spinning rods on the deck during this tournament.

Day 1, we were able to get on our best spot. Kyle was able to catch a keeper on his second cast. But the next 30 minutes, we would only catch a couple of non-keepers. I was looking at the Humminbird 360, and noticed a ditch running along the bank out in 15 feet of water that had some really good brush and stickup along it. It was straight out from the spot Kyle had caught the 7 pounder during practices. So, I figured it may hold another big fish. Kyle threw out to the spot. Just as he started reeling, he got a bite. I knew right away it was going to be a big fish. As Kyle fought it to the boat, Nick was able to net the big fish. It would end up weighing 5 pounds 4 oz. Also, it would end up being big fish of the event. We would only be able to catch 4 keepers that day. With the one big fish, we were sitting in 2nd place with 7lbs 15oz. after day 1. Great start to the event.

Day 2 was very rough. We never could find a bite. Twins would catch about 7 non-keepers. Kyle did lose one big fish next to the boat, about 3 pounds, that would be costly. We zeroed for day 2, and ended the tournament in 14th place. Twins fished really hard that day, just wasn’t meant to be. It would be the twins’ last BASS youth tournament. I’m so proud of the boys. They had fished really hard all year trying to get back to the Championship. Then they were able to get to the championship, be in 2nd place after Day 1, and getting big bass of a BASS event. It is something they will always remember for the rest of their lives.

KYLE BIG CARROLL COUNTY BASS

Pre-fishing for BASS Nation Youth Championship on Carroll County. Kyle was able to catch a big bass over 7 lbs 9 oz. It would be his personal best largemouth.

Twins Win Back-to-Back

The second qualifier of the year was on LaCygne lake. Just before the event, there was a cold front coming through. One big problem with LaCygne, the Florida-strain bass don’t like cold fronts. So going into the event, we knew it would be tough fishing.

We had prefished the Monday before the event. The first spot we stopped, Kyle’s second cast he caught a 5 pound bass. After that, we could never find anymore keepers.

On Saturday the day before the tournament, we decided to go over to prefish. I really don’t like prefishing when the high school is fishing, but we really didn’t have much choice. First spot we stopped at, I caught one keeper right away. I figured maybe the fish are biting. I would catch two more keepers and shake off about three more fish. I was confident we could catch fish Sunday. Only problem, I was the only one catching keepers. So, the boys were not very confident.

Tournament day had 26 teams going out to try to catch fish. First spot, nine teams started in the area we planned on starting. We watched one team catch a keeper on topwater. After fishing 2 hours without a bite, we decided to move. We fished a couple of other spots without even a bite. Just before break, Kyle caught one small non-keeper and broke off a good fish. Nick was able to catch a white bass on a Rattletrap. After break, Kyle was picking out a backlash, and when he started reeling his line got tight. He was hooked up with a fish. I netted the fish and both boys were like “Dad though not a keeper.” I was going to check it anyway. The first time I checked the measurement, he didn’t make it. But the third time he barely touched the line. It was fish number one. I told the boys we will have to check again. They were so excited! They had been fishing very hard and to finally get a keeper was big. We fished a couple of other spots without a bite. Finally, we decided to go back to were we started with 30 minutes to go. I finally adjusted how we were fishing. Nick was watching his line when it moved just a little bit. He slammed back and had to horse the fish out of the cover. It was keeper number two. We had only 25 minutes to go, I put the boat on high and had the boys pitch to anything that moved. I felt so stupid. The pattern the day before showed us the fish, but I didn’t have the boys fish it right. Fishing is like a puzzle when you think you have all the pieces figured out something changes.

On the way to the ramp, I told the boys “Should get a top 10. Getting points is very important to qualify for the state championship.” As we were getting the boat out of the water, we talked to some other teams. Fishing was very tough. There were not very many fish weighed in. As we got up to the stage, found out we were the only team with two keepers. As the fish hit the scale, it showed their fish weighing in at 3.77lbs. The boys had won back to back events. What a great start to the season. The twins fished so hard, never quiting. We tried so many different things in the last two hours: crankbaits, spinnerbait, topwater and soft plastics. You never know when that fish will bite so you should never stop and until it’s over. Two more events to go next spring and the state championship.