THUNDER BAY — Roughly 70 children and youth competed on the Kaministiquia River for the second annual Thunder Bay Young Anglers youth walleye tournament on Saturday.
This year, the tournament featured close to 35 teams, each consisting of two children or youth and one adult.
The Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen’s Alliance (NOSA) hosted the event as a headline sponsor alongside North Country Cycle and Sports.
“Anybody that’s participating in (Saturday’s) event, we just wish them good luck and hope that they’re safe on the water,” said John Kaplanis, the Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen’s Alliance’s executive director.
As of late morning, Kaplanis said the tournament was going “so far, so good.”
“The weather certainly is putting a bit of a dampener on things. However, I think that the fact that none of the boats have come in yet is a good sign,” said Kaplanis.
“…The kids are obviously, they’re out there, they’re trying to catch fish. They’re being troopers and as long as everybody’s out there having a good time and being safe on the water, that’s all that counts.”
Around 3:30 p.m., the teams began to come in to weigh their fish to see who would be crowned champion — the first-place award trophies went to the team with the heaviest bag containing three walleyes.
The team with the largest walleye also won the Sandro Fragale Memorial Big Fish Award.
“He’s our forefather and pioneer organizer of this event originally, some 25 years ago, roughly. Sandro is not with us anymore, but we remember his contribution to youth angling through this tournament,” said Kaplanis.
Brian Neureuther, whose family owns the Falls Bait and Tackle in Kakabeka Falls, was fishing with his daughter, Paisley, and his son, Mason, for their first year in the tournament.
“The best part of the day, I think, was when the rain stopped and then, besides that, these two reeled in the fish we caught. It was pretty tough fishing all day,” said Neureuther.
While Neureuther netted the roughly 21-inch walleye, Paisley was the one who caught the fish on her rod’s purple lure.
“I feel happy because we caught a fish and my favourite part of the day was when the rain stopped as well, because I didn’t like the rain,” said Paisley.
Mason agreed that the rain stopping and catching the fish was likely his favourite part of the day, before heading back excited to see what happened next.
He was responsible for the hook set on Paisley’s walleye and holding the rod while she reeled it in — he too almost reeled in another big walleye beside the boat until the jig pulled out.
“We’re definitely coming back next year,” said Mason.
Neureuther agreed that they will be back next year, with the hope that the weather will be a little nicer and the fishing will be a little bit better.
The tournament concluded with the remaining teams and children having the opportunity to select prizes, donated by local sponsors and businesses, from the prize table in order of their placement upon coming in.
In addition to the headline sponsors, these community supporters included D&R Sporting Goods, both Canadian Tire stores, Boston Pizza and numerous other businesses that support the event yearly.
Kaplanis said they wanted to thank their sponsors for supporting everyone, as well as the kids, and North Country, which contributed as a primary organizer and put a lot of effort into it, along with NOSA.
“A lot of work goes in, but it’s very rewarding for the kids at the end of the day and we appreciate the support of all the local businesses,” said Kaplanis.
