Toyota-Drive the Nation deadline October 31, 2008 For additional incentives and information please contact your region director.



Where It All Begins
   Our state team is anticipating the Mid-Atlantic on Buggs Island in September and so are our junior anglers this year.  The adult season is over.  The junior anglers have one more opportunity to qualify for the 2008 championship.  The qualifiers for 2007 are heading for New York August 8-10 for their championship in conjunction with the Elite series.  Two championships are scheduled in one year for our youth and our advisors thus  this has been a whirlwind year to say the least. 
   Our youth program has been in existence long enough now that it grows by word of mouth, reputation and enthusiasm from parents and grandparents who keep supporting the program.  We have also reached out in a much bigger way this year to groups who have never heard of BASS or bass for that matter.  We have taken our programs to schools and for the first time to a museum.

President Joan Blankenship, Casting Kids winner Drew Thomson, J.Carolyn Seay, Museum Special Events Coordinator and Nicholas Farley winner

   It all begins with Casting Kids®.  Anglers often conduct these events as an obligation and sometimes with indifference but if you could measure the impact that interest from an adult has on the younger generation you would see this program differently.  We are most fortunate to have Bert Seymour coordinating Casting Kids® as a separate and rapidly growing program.


Bert Seymour, Casting Kids Coordinator


   It is often the first time that a child has held a rod and reel.  It is also often the first time that a child has had the opportunity to compete for a tangible object that has meaning to them.  The certificate, the junior angler magazine and any other gift that is given is remembered and many Casting Kids® have returned as junior anglers and some like Jelani Hennessey are serving as mentors for younger members and  are fishing the Bassmaster Open events while still in high school.

Jelani Hennessey a role model for future generations


   This year we also took Casting Kids® to the Virginia Museum of Natural History where we introduced BASS and bass to people who had never heard of the program.  Bert and Anita Seymour came from Orange to help set up the event and Jelani Hennessey and his mother Angela Cates made the trip all the way from  north of Richmond.
   Their next stop is the state championship to be held at Orange County High School on August 30, 2008 so that the winners can also complete in Clarksville in September.

Hunter and Christopher Sites winners at Beaver Creek


  While our adult anglers have followed a tournament trail with the hope of reaching the Bassmaster Classic like Jeff Freeman did last year our junior anglers have a trail of their own.  Due to the many changes, a tightening economy and forces beyond our control this year their trail was shortened by one event so that they will be able to qualify in time for the Mid-Atlantic championship to be held on Buggs Island Lake this year. 
   Their first event was held at Claytor Lake and we had excellent support from our adult boat captains and two lucky anglers got to qualify for the championship to be held in August on Smith Mountain Lake.
   Next stop was Sturgeon Creek Marina on Lake Anna when we qualified 3 additional anglers.  The turn out was huge and again we had the adult support that is critical to the success of the junior angler program.  We are fortunate in that we have mentor clubs who support the youth programs. 


Junior Angler State Championship August 17, 2008
One of the hardest jobs that the president has all year is to oversee the final state championship for our junior anglers.  Out of 17 qualifiers from hundreds of junior anglers this year only two can move on to the Mid- Atlantic and from all of the Mid Atlantic contenders only two move on from that event to the championship on Milford Lake in Kansas.  Two winners and fifteen who in spite of their best efforts will have to try again next year.

The event will be held at Smith Mountain Lake on August 17, 2008.  The competition has been fierce and if you think adult anglers are serious about winning you need to meet the junior anglers.  They “never give up.”

Philpot Qualifiers


From Claytor Lake, we have Levi Snapp of Frederick County Junior BASS Wranglers, Jacob Cooper of Henry County BASSmasters and Jeremy Lineberry of Black Hollow BASSmasters.  In the senior division at Claytor Lake, Cody Martin of Warren County finished in first place, Preston Gray of Foggy Bottom was second and Stephen Beasley of Orange County High School Bassmasters was third.

Moving on to Lake Anna Levi Snapp of Frederick County Junior BASS Wranglers   won the junior division again.  Brother Ben Snapp finished second and Hunter Lane of Wise County BASSmasters finished third. When a winner of one event wins a second time, it allows the fourth place finisher the opportunity to move up and in this situation it was Kevin Beasley of Orange County High School BASSmasters. 

In the senior division Chris Davis of King George Junior BASS anglers won the event followed by Mike Miller of Orange County, Ricky Vance of Frederick County and Hannah Lane of Wise County.  Hannah has the distinction of being the first girl to qualify for a state championship. 

The final opportunity to qualify can only be described as too hot for everyone.  Catching keeper bass was almost impossible and everyone arrived at the ramp tired and sunburned.  In the junior division, Jeremy Lineberry of Black Hollow won again and so did Ben Snapp of Frederick County.  This allowed Austin Henry of Frederick County to breathe a sigh of relief as this gave him a chance to qualify for the state championship.

It wasn’t any easier for the senior division.  Shane Beahm of Warren County Junior BASSmasters won the event followed by Stephen Beasley who has already qualified.  Mitch Willis, 2007 junior state champion qualified as a senior this year and Joshua Kestner of Frederick County was able to slip in as the fourth place finisher. 



If it were not for the generosity of our boat captains at these events, we would have never had such a successful year.  There have been so many that we cannot list you all here but let it be said that the board of directors for the BASS Federation Nation of Virginia, the junior anglers and their parents really appreciate you and we hope that everyone will come to Smith Mountain Lake State Park on August 17 and watch us crown the champions who will move on to the Mid Atlantic with our adult contenders.  Without the boat captains this program would not exist. 



   Mark your calendars.  The next board of directors meeting is August  10, 2008 at the Lamplighter Restaurant in Clarksville.  If you would like to find out what our plans are for 2009 please attend.  Call Pam Bryant to let her know so  that we can save a place for you at the breakfast table.