The scene was St. Helen, Michigan, this weekend as the fight for the Badwater Bass Club's AOY (Angler of the Year) award came down to seven hours Saturday morning on Lake St. Helen. When it was all said and done, the efforts of a guest fisherman, Tommy, had an impact on the final tally. The leech-master had to go artificial on the lure front but adapted quite well to the tune of eight pounds and took top stringer. The session was a major so those double points might have done some serious shakeup to the standings for those striving for the prestigious AOY award. But it was not to be as it appears leader Greg V. is the inaugural Angler of the Year recipient. Congratulations to the vocal ensemble dude.
Yours truly had a solid chance to get on the board this week, but.....(ready yourself for a fish story). There is about an hour or so left in the session and tug goes my line. This was not a weed and was definitely not another 13-inch Dunham Laker. Up to the boat the fish came; it was large and in charge. Does Tim have the patience to wait for the net? Unfortunately, not. The fish did a Fosbury Flop up in the air off the line, a bounce on the interior edge of the boat, and back into the water it went. Oh so close.
Post fishing activities involved plenty of hanging while consuming some delicious beef jerky from the smoker. The cottages, right on the lake, had a nice 1970's feel to them with plenty of fake wood paneling. The guest speaker for the evening was counselor Champ. A fine gathering, and season, it was. Thanks to commissioners Al, Doke, and Slick for putting together the club. It got some old friends to gather and best of all, we were fishing.
Trail Head
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| 3-plus pounder - biggest fish |
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| big fish $ presentation |
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| biggest stringer $ presentation |
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| Badwater sponsors: AMS Oil & Rudy's BBQ |
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| feast |
The scene was St. Helen, Michigan, this weekend as the fight for the Badwater Bass Club's AOY (Angler of the Year) award came down to seven hours Saturday morning on Lake St. Helen. When it was all said and done, the efforts of a guest fisherman, Tommy, had an impact on the final tally. The leech-master had to go artificial on the lure front but adapted quite well to the tune of eight pounds and took top stringer. The session was a major so those double points might have done some serious shakeup to the standings for those striving for the prestigious AOY award. But it was not to be as it appears leader Greg V. is the inaugural Angler of the Year recipient. Congratulations to the vocal ensemble dude.
Yours truly had a solid chance to get on the board this week, but.....(ready yourself for a fish story). There is about an hour or so left in the session and tug goes my line. This was not a weed and was definitely not another 13-inch Dunham Laker. Up to the boat the fish came; it was large and in charge. Does Tim have the patience to wait for the net? Unfortunately, not. The fish did a Fosbury Flop up in the air off the line, a bounce on the interior edge of the boat, and back into the water it went. Oh so close. 
