KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. — Several Juniors will be fishing Table Rock Lake a second straight time in divisional competition today, as they seek berths in the Bassmaster Junior World Championship later this year.
They will fish alongside their adult counterparts in the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Central Divisional presented by Yamaha and Skeeter. And their weights will count in the cumulative totals for their respective states. With Arkansas holding a narrow lead over Oklahoma, that additional factor could prove crucial in determining the team champion.
Nebraska’s Bradley Schaefer, fishing for the first time in the 15-18 age group, is the most familiar with tournaments at this level. This is his fourth divisional, including a third-place finish in the 11-14 age group last year on Table Rock. His brother, Jake, took second in the older group.
Bradley and his sister, Jordan, also were national finalists in CastingKids competition.
For Missouri, meanwhile, both youth qualifiers are back in the same age classes. Colt Love finished fourth among the younger anglers in 2010, while Brian Pahl took third in the older.
Others returning include Christopher Chandler for Louisiana in 11-14, Trevor Ladner for Mississippi in 15-18, and Trevor Yates for Oklahoma in 11-14.
Junior competitors also include Corey Thompson and Ralston Drew Lusby for Arkansas, Austin Bray and Tyler Hetzel for Kansas, Blake Betz for Louisiana, Mason McDill for Mississippi, Colton Kelle for Nebraska, Wyatt Smith for Oklahoma, and Jarrett Robertson and Joseph Starks for Texas.
In 2010, Nick Luna of Kansas won in the 11-14 division with two bass that weighed 3 pounds, 15 ounces. Louisiana’s Matt Nobile brought in an impressive four-fish bag of 11-15 to win in the older group.