Austin and Kyle Goldberg have served notice on their senior competition that there may be a new sheriff coming to town when they placed third in the Missouri B.A.S.S. Federation President’s Rodeo tournament.  This popular tournament is held annually on Lake of the Ozarks with proceeds going to support the Missouri National Angular.  This year was no exception so on Saturday, April 7^th directly following the Federation’s Quarterly Director’s Meeting, the competitors headed out of Millstone Lodge into 3 foot swells and 35 mile an hour winds and blue bird skies. 

What makes this story so interesting is that Austin and Kyle are 14 and 12 respectively.  These well-mannered, soft-spoken young men are members of the Sportsman’s Bassmaster Junior Club in Lees Summit, Missouri and accomplished fisherman.  Both have been named to the Missouri Junior Bassmaster State Invitational team this year and along with their four other teammates will compete against 15 other similar state teams at the International Junior Bassmaster Invitational being held in Ontario, Canada later this year. 

They, along with their fellow teammates, have learned their lessons well and as their third place finish shows, are quite adept at catching fish.   Since these young men had volunteered to be part of the support team that handled the weigh-in for Sunday’s Spring Fling, they did not have time to fish that tournament.  They did, however get out for about four hours before that weigh-in and put SIX fish in the boat working stained to muddy water using spinnerbaits and wiggle warts on windblown chunk rock banks in the lower end of the lake. 

These and other kids like them are the future of fishing.  If you would like to meet them and their teammates and help the team raise the funding they need to go to the Junior Invitational in Ontario, contact Jim Coyte at 913.681.5416 or Jim Noah at 816-524-8360.   Join us in an evening of fund that starts out with a Pig Roast Buffet Dinner, Silent Auction, Raffles, Door Prizes and Guest Speaker & Bassmaster Pro George Cochran on Wednesday, May 2 at the Lake Lotawana Sportsman’s Club in Lees Summit. MO.  Seats are limited so call and reserve yours today.