Smaller setting provides big results

In the past week, two groups of competitive bass anglers launched their boats on Nevada waters, one on Lake Mead and the other on a small reservoir in northern Nye County known as Cold Springs. Though the settings are vastly different, they each seemed to fit perfectly the anglers who came to test their skills with rod and reel.

At Lake Mead, one of the largest recreational fisheries in the country, 112 boats launched out of Callville Bay before the sun came up Monday. Each boat carried two anglers looking to win the storied Western Outdoor News Bass U.S. Open, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world of competitive bass fishing. The list of participants included Rick Clunn and Aaron Martens, both two-time Open champions looking to add a third to their list of accomplishments.

In contrast, only three boats launched on Cold Springs early Saturday, but each carried two anglers who hoped to take home a victory in the Nevada Bass Federation Junior State Championship. Known by relatively few anglers outside of the state, Cold Springs is one of five reservoirs on the Kirch Wildlife Management Area. It will probably never attract anglers such as Clunn or Martens, but that's OK. This little oasis in the desert was just the right setting for anglers Matthew Myers, Logan Branscum and the other four competitors who joined them.

Up for grabs on the pro side of the U.S. Open was $195,000 in prize money -- $50,000 for the first-place finisher, who also took home a brand new Nitro Z-8 bass boat complete with a Mercury 225 power plant. Those participating as amateurs vied for a share of $50,000, of which $10,000 was earmarked for the top angler.

Although participants weren't competing for a boat or big prize money at the junior state tournament, the competition was still keen. At stake was the chance to qualify for next spring's Western Divisional Tournament. From there, the young anglers could qualify to compete in the 2012 Bassmaster Junior World Championship and vie for a share of $23,000 in scholarship money.

In junior Bassmaster tournaments, anglers compete in two age groups, 11-14 and 15-18. Participants are given the opportunity to fish from fully outfitted bass boats, so they have all the necessary tools. Those who compete in the older age group operate their own trolling motor, while members of the younger age group have the assistance of a more experienced operator.

The tournament is usually held over two days, but this year it was a one-day event that was divided into morning and afternoon blocks of six and four hours. The fish were cooperative and hit Brush Hawgs, Senkos and tubes. All but one of the young anglers caught a full bag for the morning weigh-in.

Things were more difficult during the second block, which was held on Adams-McGill Reservoir. The kids had to dig their fish out of their hiding spots in the tules.

When the day was done, Myers won the 15-18 age division with a 7.75-pound total, and Branscum captured the 11-14 division with 14.90 pounds weighed in. He also caught the tournament's big fish at 3.57 pounds.

Myers and Branscum are from Las Vegas and members of Southern Nevada Junior Bucketmouths. More information about this program is available at nevadabassfederation.com.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His "In the Outdoors" column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com.