This was the twenty-ninth championship for ABA and MBAA combined, but it went over so well that one would think it had been rehearsed since fishing tournaments began. Over three hundred boats were released in under an hour each morning and almost five hundred anglers weighed in fish on the ABA weigh in stage in under three hours each afternoon. There is nothing better than a big creel to close out the championship, but although his third day weight was big, Pat Anderson didn’t even need it. He finished strong in what looked to be his destiny in becoming the tournament champion and Angler of the Year. “I caught a one and a half pound fish, then I caught another one and a half pound fish, and then, I caught a three pound fish. At that point, the nerves set in because I knew I had at least a twelve pound lead,” said Anderson, who was already leading by 11.11 pounds going into Friday’s final day. Anderson weighed in 10.29 lbs on Friday and finished the tournament with 42.91lbs. Just like he thought it would be, that is almost exactly twelve pounds more than the next highest weight. When asked for a quote, Anderson said, “I want to thank God and thank my wife, this has been awesome”.

Second place went to Blane Shelton with a combined weight of 30.95 lbs. Shelton, who is already a big name in fishing in the area, had good weights the first and third day but only weighed in 5.96 pounds on Thursday. However, there is no reason for Shelton to feel bad. Since Anderson won both the championship and Angler of the Year, the second boat went to the second place winner. “I am just speechless right now”, said Shelton after Morris Sheehan awarded him a Triton TR21 X Series bass boat with a Mercury Marine Optimax 225 and Lowrance Electronics.

ABA has produced some great fishermen in its time, even a few Pro’s. One big one that comes to mind is the 2002 champion Jimmy Mason. Blane Shelton plans to do the same but does plan to stay in ABA for at least one more year. Pat Anderson also has aspirations of going pro in the future but is waiting for his son to graduate high school in two more years. So look for these two guys to be at the top next year because they didn’t just get lucky, these guys are really good.