Mar 26

2024 TBF National Championship Contender Angler Profile TBF District 21 Colorado

Most in the fishing community say it takes a lifetime of work to qualify and fish for a national championship.  They say everything must align between skill, luck, and destiny.  Sometimes it’s just perseverance.  Whatever it is, in August 2023 at Wilson Lake, KS, Colorado TBF hosted the TBF District 21 National Semi Final.

Ron Giebel was the angler who emerged from Colorado with the skill and determination to move on to the 2024 TBF National Championship.  Ron stated, “I started bass fishing with my dad before I was old enough to go to school.  I started tournament fishing in the late 80’s through 1995 and then work got in the way with too much travel.  I got back into tournaments again about 10 years ago and haven’t looked back.”

Over the years Ron has had great tournaments and bad ones.  Some of his accomplishments include:  6x TBF National Semi Finals qualifier; 4x BASS Divisionals qualifier; 2x Pikes Pike Bass Masters Angler of the Year; 1x Southern Colorado Bass Masters Angler of the Year; 4 local club championships; several top 10 finishes in local fishing events.

“I am excited to be fishing for the National Championship and hope to bring home the trophy to Colorado,” Ron stated.  Ron continued by saying he wanted to give special thanks to his wife for always supporting him.

Colorado TBF is proud to have Ron Giebel representing the state of Colorado at the 2024 TBF National Championship.  May your weigh bags be 5 fish full and heavy, Ron!

Please follow along with the tournament results and Ron’s success through the following:

The 2024 TBF Federation National Championship LIVE! From Brookeland, TX and Lake Sam Rayburn!  Coverage will start right here daily March 27, 28, 29 at 2:30 pm CT.

LIVE leaderboard CLICK HERE – LIVE video of the Daily Weigh-in will show below and on our Facebook page HERE!

Mar 08

Colorado Junior Bass Club hosts 1st club meeting of 2024

The Colorado Junior Bass Club hosted its first meeting for the 2024 season at Bass Pro Shop. Here are a few pictures from the meeting. CLICK HERE to see the 2024 tournament schedule.

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