When the first-annual Kid-Pro Am fishing tournament wrapped up last Thursday, organizers were elated to find the idea was just as big a hit with the pros as it was with the youngsters.
In fact, Rick Socholotuk, who helped organize the tournament with Bill Morgenstern, said the three-hour, catch-and-release event “far exceeded” all expectations they had.
The inaugural winner was Scott Bridgeman, who teamed up with Bob Miller and Ken Sisco to bring in a 5.18-pound northern pike (the tournament was open to any species of fish).
Bridgeman said they caught their winning fish (their only one of the day) in a bay on the north arm.
Derek McLeod placed second with a 4.66-pound northern while Jordan Zen was third with a 4.50-pound pike. Some 29 teams took part.
0002000004A900000C86 4A3, The event, held in conjunction with the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, was advertised as the first of its kind in Canada connected with a major cash tournament.
“I just didn’t think the adults would respond as well as they did,” said Socholotuk, stressing the exceptional job the anglers did with the kids out on the lake.
“Every angler I talked to after said they would definitely take the kids out again next year,” he noted. “Phil Bangert came up to me after and said he had a fantastic time.”
“For the first time, I think things went really great,” added Morgenstern. “A bunch of guys had really positive things to say about the tournament, and who knows, 15 years from now it could be one of those kids standing up on the [winner’s] podium.”
Socholotuk praised the effort the anglers put in with the kids during a time normally set aside for some last-minute pre-fishing. Each pro received a certificate on stage during the final weigh-in thanking them for their participation.
“To think that these guys took time out of their pre-fishing, when they are here to [win] some big money (and I know some guys were hurting to find spots), was incredible,” he enthused
0002000004D200001129 4CC, The young anglers, aged 10-14, also learned about casting methods and how to net a fish, the different rod and reel types, and what lures work best in what conditions out on the lake.
The Kid-Pro will prelude the FFCBC again next year, Socholotuk said, but he added each year will be a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for the youngsters. By that, he means the kids who participated this year will have to give way to a new batch of youngsters next year.
Socholotuk also said if they could get more anglers involved next year, they would be able to increase the number of kids who can go out.
He plans to send a newsletter to the anglers asking them to participate in next year’s Kid-Pro tournament.
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