Jamie Mountain
Whether you are a young or old angler, a good time is expected once again at the 18th-annual “Castin For Cash” bass tournament slated for this Friday and Saturday (July 6-7) on the Lake Despair chain.
Lake Despair Lodge, located at the end of Highway 613 North, once again will host the festivities, which will see teams hitting the water at 7:30 a.m. on Friday to kick off an action-packed two days of fishing.
Flights return at 3:30 p.m. both days, with weigh-ins slated for 4 p.m.
As of yesterday morning, 54 teams had signed up for this year’s tournament.
“We usually have between 50 and 60 anglers so we got a good number of teams,” said lodge owner and tournament co-organizer Nell Godin.
“We can take a few more but that would be it.”
She also noted teams must be registered before the rules meeting tomorrow (July 5).
Godin said one of the best parts about the tournament this year is that a lot of youthful anglers have signed up.
“I’m not sure exactly how many, for sure,” she conceded. “I haven’t counted that up but there’s quite a few.
“Our youngest is four years old from Sioux Narrows and he’s fishing with his dad,” Godin noted. “And we have quite a few anglers fishing in our tournament who started at the ages of four, five, and six.
“Now they’re teenagers and putting their own teams in.”
The forecast is calling for sunshine both Friday and Saturday, and Godin is hopeful the conditions on the water treat the anglers well.
“I’m hoping that Mother Nature works in our favour and we have good weather conditions,” she remarked.
“I haven’t heard a weather report yet. I’m afraid to,” she chuckled.
“We’re supposed to have rain this afternoon [Tuesday] and tomorrow [today], so I’m hoping that for Friday and Saturday, it will be good for the anglers because they range in ages from four to I think 80,” Godin added.
She also said reports from pre-fishing have had varied results so far.
“Some anglers say they’re doing really good and saying they’ve caught lots, but [the fish] are small,” she noted.
“And then we have some anglers saying that they’re having a tough time, so I don’t know.
“It’s a mixed basket and I don’t know who to believe,” Godin said.
A roast pork supper will be served on Friday at 5:30 p.m., which is open to both anglers and the public, the cost is $12 per person.
That will be followed by music that night, with a food both also being open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
Following the awards presentation on Saturday, there will be music and refreshments for all on hand to enjoy.
Anyone wanting more information can call Lake Despair Lodge at 486-0532.
