The annual Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship means many things to many people: good food and drink, a chance to catch up with old friends, games and activities for the kids, and, of course, some good fishing.
But none of it would be possible without the 500 volunteers who give their time and energy to make the whole thing happen.
“You can’t do without them. The whole tournament is dependent on them,” stressed Cathy Tovey, director of volunteer services for the FFCBC.
One of those dedicated volunteers is Paul Cousineau, 38, a stationery engineer at Abitibi-Consolidated’s kraft mill here. Cousineau has a very high-profile job. He is the weigh master, which he calls “the best job in the house.”
Despite the fact Cousineau had no experience weighing fish, he agreed to take on the job. This will be his third year as weigh master—and he’s had to learn as he goes.
“Lionel [Robert] does quite a few tournaments. He told me what to do and what not to do,” noted Cousineau, adding he also got tips from other volunteers who have worked at the FFCBC for a long time.
“The crew that works under me have been there longer. They know what they’re doing.”
During the tournament, Cousineau puts in about six hours a day over four days. While there’s only three days of actually weighing fish, he spends the first day attending the rules meeting and setting up the stage.
“There’s lots of little things to do,” he said.
When asked why he volunteers for the derby every year, he replied, “It’s a lot of fun, and the fishermen treat you well.”
“It won’t run without volunteers, and I can’t catch fish, so I might as well weigh them,” he said, laughing. “I’m very, very lucky.”
John McTaggart, another volunteer, has been involved with the bass tournament since the fall of 1995—shortly after the inaugural one wrapped up.
He works the early morning check-ins and directs the anglers onto the launch. “I love it,” he said. “I get to talk to all the anglers.”
During the three days of fishing, McTaggart is at the launch by 5:30 a.m. His day ends when everyone is on the water. “It’s a couple hours a day,” he noted.
McTaggart also helps run the parade of boats on the Tuesday evening before the derby gets underway.
As a former chair of the FFCBC, he is fully aware of the importance of volunteers. “This town would not have a prayer of surviving without the tremendous support of the volunteers,” McTaggart stressed.
For Betty Lambert, a 51-year-old housewife and mother of two, this will be her seventh year volunteering for the FFCBC. Lambert is team leader for volunteer services, and she works very closely with Tovey.
Her job includes “getting everything brought together,” like T-shirts and water bottles for the volunteers, but also helping to make sure there are enough volunteers to staff the various events.
“If I need eight people between 12 and 6 [p.m.], it’s up to me to fill these slots with people who can help,” Lambert said.
This includes finding replacements for people who don’t or can’t show up for their time slot.
During the week of the tournament, Lambert puts in at least eight hours a day, sometimes up to 12. But her work begins long before the tournament does.
Over the last two months, Lambert already has gone out to Fort High and the Chamber of Commerce’s Home and Leisure Show at the Memorial Sports Centre to recruit volunteers.
She and Tovey also meet frequently to determine what needs to be done before the tournament kicks off.
Lambert said she attended the first two years of the bass tournament as a spectator and decided to get involved. “I just wanted to do it. I thought it would be fun,” she remarked.
From the first year, Lambert was involved in the volunteer services tent, working her way up to team leader as the years went by. Now, she can’t imagine not being a part of the festivities.
“I really like it. I can’t see not doing it. I enjoy the people, and meeting new people every year,” she said.
Like Paul Cousineau, Leo Korosec works with the bass hands-on. He’s in charge of the fish release. “I’m responsible for working with the fish after they’ve been weighed on stage,” he explained.
As a member of the Fort Frances Sportsmen’s Club, Korosec’s main concern at the tournament is conservation of the fish stocks—and he does a very thorough job.
As the anglers come in at the end of each day, the location of each catch is recorded so volunteers can release the fish in roughly the same area where they were caught.
After they’re weighed, the fish are put into labelled holding tanks according to an area on the lake, like “Northwest,” “North Arm,” and “Red Gut.” The tanks are monitored for temperature (kept within three degrees of the lake water temperature) and oxygen levels.
“Our goal is to make sure each fish is handled carefully, and with the minimum amount of stress,” Korosec said.
A team of 20-30 volunteers make five or six runs each day to return the fish to the water. And their effort is very successful. “We have a mortality rate of less than one percent,” he noted.
While Korosec works some long hours (as many as 14 on the opening day), his assistants generally work three-four hours a day over the three days of weigh-ins.
“It’s not hard on them, but it’s a lot of responsibility,” he remarked.
Tovey would like to thank all the past volunteers and invite them back, and she’s always looking for more help.
If you would like to volunteer for the tournament, contact Tovey at 274-6113 or call the FFCBC hotline at 2784-0316.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
