On Oct 10th the Assumption Bass Club and Illini Team Trail held an open bass fishing tournament for high school students out of Eagle Creek on Lake Shelbyville. There were 55 students entered for a total of 27 teams, with teams coming from as far as Chicago for the opportunity to fish. Take off was scheduled for 7a.m. but a heavy fog blanketed the lake and didn't lift until 8:15. So after and hour and fifteen minutes chomping at the bit the anglers were sent off to search for a limit of 12" bass on Lake Shelbyville. Weigh in was scheduled for 3p.m.
Boats started to come back in around 2:45 and the weigh in started at 3p.m. Students were treated to hot dogs, chips and water. During the weigh in there was a free raffle for students where we gave away three new rods and one new reel. We also gave a grab bag of lures to every student in attendance.
Once the weigh in concluded the winners were announced and given their plaques. First place went to Chicago Marist High School, Tom Sullivan and Nicholas Engel, they weighed in a limit of five fish for a total weight of 11.25 lbs.
Second place was Saint Thomas Moore High School, Reid Stephenson,Nick Kohlmann and Daniel Ruedi. They had five fish that weighed 8.45lbs.
Third place went to Mt Zion High School, Patrick Tharp and Brock Lemmon. They weighed in three fish for 7.08lbs with Patrick also having big bass of the tournament with a 3.52lb beauty.
Fourth place was Dunlap High School, Justin Siekmann. Justin weighed in four fish for 7.01lbs.
Fifth place went to Maine West High School, Ceighton Delgado and Anthony Zountass. They had a limit of five bass that weighed in at 6.54lbs.
There were a total of eighteen teams that weighed in fish, 4 five fish limits, 53 fish weighed in for a total of 82.28 lbs with zero dead fish.
Other schools participating were Atwood Hammond, Champaign Centennial,Monticello,Sullivan,Okaw Valley,St Charles North, Meridian.
THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
ASSUMPTION BASS CLUB
ILLINI TEAM TRAIL
TRIPLE B JIGS
BASSZONE.COM
GATES PLUMBING
WHITES AUTO BODY
ZIPS FLOWERS
WALLSTREET PRINTING & EMBROIDERY
LIMIT LURE COMPANY
We are starting to plan for next year and look to make this even bigger! If you have any suggestions please email me.
Also, the Illinois DNR has said they will no longer give 12" waivers for tournaments like this, please let them know these are the future of fishing and SHOULD be given the waivers.
Darren Gates
V.P./Youth Dir.
Assumption Bass Club
assumptionbassclub.homestead.com
dkkgates@comcast.net
