Dec 14

From – Ryan Steinhoff – Southern Colorado Junior Bass Club

From – Ryan Steinhoff

Member of both 2020 and 2022 Junior World Championship Team’s

Southern Colorado Junior Bass Club

◦    Two-time World Champion. What an amazing ride it’s been. More than anything, the recipe for success needs each of these key ingredients: First, having great partners (Cody Miller in 2020 and Maddie Robertshaw in 2022). Cody is a hammer and he has taught me a lot. Maddie really helped us in key moments, especially when she caught a tank smallie on the championship day. Next, time spent on the water, having a good coach (Sam Heckman) belonging to a great club like the Southern Colorado Jr. Bass club and having an awesome boater like Steve Way. They really helped me take my fishing to the next level. Also, the support that came from the TBF organization (Rod Allen, Colorado TBF president) and the people around the club have helped me turn my dream into a reality.

◦    My first junior world championship title was in 2020 at Mosquito Lake in Ohio. The fishing was tough. The water temps were in the high 80’s and most of the fish we found were on a weed line on a deep point. We were dragging jigs and fishing with Senkos. The fishing was extremely slow and we just kept on grinding it out. It worked and we walked away world champions. It was a great tournament put on by TBF. Thanks again to my partner Cody Miller, Steve Way my boat captain, Sam Heckman, SCJBC President and Rod Allen, TBF Colorado President.

✓    My second junior world championship title was just this past July (2022) on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee. This lake was a lot bigger than what I’m normally use to fishing in Colorado. We found most of our fish on a sand point that extended across a cove. We caught our fish while using crank baits, spinner baits and jigs. We ended up winning with a bag of 12lbs and 5 ounces. Once again, TBF put on a great tournament on a great lake. My partner Maddie Robertshaw was the first female to win the TBF Junior World Title and we were also the first coed team as well. Thanks again to my boater Steve Way, Sam Heckman and Rod Allen.

◦    5 years ago, when I started fishing with the Southern Colorado Jr Bass Club, I would have never thought that becoming a two-time world champion would have been possible. I just wanted to fish and loved exploring new waters, trying new spots and playing around with baits.

◦    There are so many people that I would like to thank. God, my parents, my partners Cody Miller and Maddie Robertshaw, my boat captain, Steve Way, Rod Allen, TBF and the Southern Colorado Junior Bass Club. I’m looking forward to my next chapter of fishing the High School State Championship’s and any other tournaments that come my way.

Sep 18

2022 TBF Junior World Championship report by Madison Robertshaw

After a long wait, the Junior World Championships had finally arrived. Beforehand we had been planning, doing research, and tried to be prepared as possible for what might come at Kentucky Lake. The sun started to rise at Paris Landing State Park, we were on the water, ready to run to our first spot. Similar to what we do back home in Colorado, we fished bluff walls and long flats. Throughout the day we stayed along the same stretch of lake while catching a few keepers here and there. As day two arrived, we fished about the same spots as before but decided to try a few other places as well. After running around the lake for a couple of hours we decided that we were going to stick with our first plan.

Day one of the Junior World Championship, the nerves were going crazy and so was the wind. Around mid-morning I caught the first keeper, and then a little bit after that Ryan, my partner, caught the second. As the wind died down, the lake went flat, and the bite turned off. Day one’s final weight was 4 pounds 2 ounces.

Day two was the qualifying day to be able to fish on the final day of the tournament. The bite was pretty slow early on. I was at the front of the boat, fishing some faster moving baits like crankbaits, and spinnerbaits, and my partner was in the back throwing some slower moving baits like a bitsy jig. After a couple hours we were not catching any fish so we decided that we should switch it up. I started throwing the bitsy jig and caught 3 keepers. Then Ryan swooped in and caught a good keeper, and I finished off the day by catching two more. Our final weight for Day two was 9 pounds 11 ounces. With that weight we won the Western Division and qualified for the last day!

On day three, we had the same plan except one thing: we noticed we caught the most fish on the one particular flat that extended into the opening of a cove. The fishing might be slow, but we knew if we caught them, they would be a good size. Right after we got to our spot, I cast out a couple times and got nothing. Fourth cast I got our biggest fish, a 3-pound 7-ounce small mouth. After a well-deserved happy dance, I knew this was going to be a great day. But soon after, the rain began, and the bite stopped.  Several hours later, the rain let up, and Ryan caught three great sized keepers. Then I closed off the day with our last keeper sealing the deal. Our final weight for day three was a whopping 12 pounds and 5 ounces, beating the second-place team by over 5 pounds.

Just like that my partner and I made history. The first ever co-ed team to win, the first female to win, as well as Ryan being the first ever person to win two Junior World Fishing Championships!  I can’t thank everyone enough who has helped me get to where I am today. I am truly so blessed to be a part of this organization and to have this opportunity.

Madison Robertshaw

2022 TBF Junior World Championship Team

 

Aug 07

2 Junior World Championship Titles in the past 3 years!

The Colorado TBF “The Bass Federation ” sends a Huge and very Heart felt

CONGRATULATIONS!

to Southern Colorado Junior Bass Club members Madison Robertshaw and Ryan Steinhoff for their TBF Junior World Championship Victory held on Kentucky Lake in Tennessee. Maddie and Ryan with their boat captain Steve Way came in with a 12lb 5oz limit on the final day of competition to seal the victory by 5lb 4oz.

Colorado TBF also sends out a huge “THANK YOU” to our outgoing CTBF Youth Director Mr. Sam Heckman for his many years of devotion and time in helping the many Colorado TBF Youth.

2 Junior World Championship Titles in the past 3 years!

 

 

Aug 10

Colorado Earns Conservation Grant from Hall of Fame.

What a fantastic accomplishment by Southern Colorado Junior Bass Club assistant director and Springs Bassmasters member Ms. Kim Kissell and Southern Colorado Junior Bass Club Director and Springs Bassmasters member Mr. Sam Heckman to receive this grant from the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

Colorado TBF would like to thank you both for your never-ending commitment and dedication to the Southern Colorado Junior Bass Club members and parents.

PRESS RELEASE

 CONTACT INFORMATION:

Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, Barbara Bowman, 501-541-6660

bbowman@bassfishinghof.com

 RELEASE DATE: 8/9/2021

Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Makes Four Conservation Grants

 SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – August 9, 2021 – For the second consecutive year, the Board of Directors of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame announces that the Hall has awarded four conservation grants to contribute to its mission of celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing. The recipients were selected through a highly competitive process, and they represent a diverse group of deserving projects.

“We are once again thrilled to be able to contribute to these worthy projects that should provide immediate impacts,” said Bass Fishing Hall of Fame President John Mazurkiewicz. “Habitat restoration and management, and other conservation efforts, are the lifeblood of our sport and are critical to bass fishing’s future. These grants are all going to worthy recipients for the benefit of the wider community.”

The four grantees are as follows:

  • Southwest Iowa Fishing Team (Iowa Bass Federation TBF) – The SWIFT Conservation Fish Habitat Project will place artificial fish habitat structures in lakes and ponds throughout southwest Iowa, utilizing materials that will benefit biodiversity without decomposing or otherwise negatively impacting the fisheries.
  • Spring Bassmasters & Southern Colorado Junior Bass Club (Colorado Bass Federation TBF) – Youth volunteers will create structures of chain, twine, cables and weight to sink approximately 100 cottonwood trees in the Valco ponds, adding much-needed fish habitat.
  • Tri-County Bass Anglers (Indiana Bass Federation TBF) – Youth volunteers will employ a habitat enhancement plan created by the Indiana DNR in Patoka Lake, utilizing Pennsylvania porcupine cribs, pallets, black bass nesting structures and Hoosier cubes.
  • Chattanooga Bass Association (TN) – The Association will build a release boat to redistribute tournament-caught fish throughout Lake Chickamauga, with help from TWRA, the Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga Tourism, Fish Dayton, and the Tennessee Department of Tourism.

“These represent a truly inspirational slate of bass anglers’ volunteer efforts,” said Board member Gene Gilliland, Conservation Director for B.A.S.S. “Once again, we wanted to make sure that sweat equity was incentivized and rewarded.” Gilliland and Board member Casey Shedd with AFTCO spearheaded the BFHOF conservation grant selection process.

The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will hold its annual induction dinner on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Mo. There will also be a concurrent auction, starting on September 27 through noon on October 1. The proceeds assist the Board in hosting the dinner and other recognition events each year, along with funding its conservation grants and other worthy endeavors benefiting the sport of bass fishing. Generous donors from all walks of the fishing and outdoors industries have already donated numerous products and experiences, many of them one-of-a-kind items that cannot be purchased elsewhere at any price. For information on induction dinner tables and tickets, visit https://www.bassfishinghof.com/2021-banquet – or call (501) 541-6660.

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About the BFHOF — The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors and is dedicated to celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing. Since 2017, the Hall’s inductees and memorabilia representing the history of bass fishing is showcased in Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, where it has rapidly become a popular destination.

For more information about the Hall, its mission, and to become a supporting member,

visit www.BassFishingHOF.com,

or contact BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at bbowman@bassfishinghof.com.