B.A.S.S. Northern Divisional in Vermilion, Ohio on Lake Erie
August 10 thru August 17, 2007

By Jason Stangel

I would like to give a BIG Thank You to Ken Snow, Jeff Dyer, Chris Johnson, Terry Hilbert and especially to Dave Snyder for all the countless hours that these men put into the Wisconsin Federation Nation to make it what it is today, Thanks!

As most everyone knows our Wisconsin team pulled out the victory at Vermillion, OH on Lake Erie. This was my first experience on a state team, so I talked to former state team members on what to expect and they all expressed the same statement: “If the team is to do well, everyone must work together”. This is what the Wisconsin Team did!  Lake Erie is big water and everyone worked together to cover water 40 or so miles to the east and west of the launch site during the practice period.  The smallmouth bite was extremely tough, and evidence by everyone’s discussions at the team meetings and the extreme low weights of the weekend tournaments that we observed. I was impressed on how well the team came together: sharing GPS locations, prior knowledge, techniques, and also equipment. Terry, Dave and Kathy were the foundation that made this happen from having lunch and beverages ready for us after fishing each day, fixing equipment to running to Gander Mountain to pick up the hot baits that we were all running out of. 

Practice Day 1, August 10, 2007: I spent a lot of time doing research on the Internet and talking to people that have fished on Lake Erie previously, trying to get a grasp on what to expect.  I arrived 5 days prior to tourney day to watch the weigh-ins for the BASS Region Four, 6 Man Team Tournament and the BFL Tournament and this gave me a feel of how the bite was. The BASS 6 Man event yielded a top bag of 12 pounds of large mouth and the BFL had only 5 bags over 16 pounds.  I was not impressed!  Knowing the bite would be tough I wanted to stay within 10 miles of Vermillion to optimize my time on the water.

Practice Day 2, August 11, 2007: I found some large smallies and Chad Johnson and I expanded on the area to find more spots within this area. We were not he only ones to find this particular area, as another team would sit on it every day of practice. This worried me and I didn’t think the small area could hold up to the pressure. The bites would be few and far between but they were all quality fish. This would be the area that I would fish on tournament days two and three.

Practice Day 3, August 12, 2007: Knowing I needed something besides the smallmouth spot, I spent the next day fishing very little in the calm Erie water and I would spend my time looking with the Hummingbird side finder. Jim Barzack and Chad Johnson gave me all the components to rig it up to my boat.  I would slowly idle around looking for isolated rock piles or rock rubble then lower my Aqua view down to see if there were any smallies around.  I found a couple of areas that were holding a few fish, so I decided I would come back the last day and check them out.

Practice Day 4, August 13, 2007: The wind was howling out of the north and there was a rumor that we heard, that if it was too rough on tournament day they might send us out of Sandusky, so all the teams launched in the Sandusky area today. Jim Barzack would prefish with me today, and we would find a large concentration of largemouth in several areas, in one area they were hitting a frog, and the other Jim had a pitching bite dialed in. We felt that with the amount of fish in these areas, a number of the team guys could come in for a quick limit, not a big limit!

Practice Day 5, August 14, 2007:  Jim and I would run around and check the stuff I had previously found with the side finder and the camera, and to my surprise two areas that I had seen fish on two days prior, were vacant.

Pre Tournament Team Meeting August 14, 2007: As with previous nights we discussed our starting spots and strategies.  Chad would start on the area where we found some big fish in practice, I would also start there if it was rough, but if I was able to run the rough water, I would make the 25 mile run with my 521 Ranger for a quick limit of largemouth along with Mike Mattis, Jim Barczak and Mike McQuitty. My goal as a boater was to always bring in a limit.

Tournament Day 1, August 15, 2007: The Largemouth bite was tough and it took until 12:30 PM to get a limit, partly because of poor execution on my part. I stopped on the way back on the smallie spot with about 45 minutes to try to upgrade and I caught a 3-pound Smallie and my partner caught a 5.3-pound Smallie. I weighed in 10.14, and Chad had a huge sack of Smallies for 20 pounds, 11 ounces. Team Wisconsin weighed in 101.3 pounds and was in 3rd place behind Michigan with 103.10 pounds, and Minnesota in first place with115-6 pounds, just 14.3 pounds out of first place after day one.

Tournament Day 2, August 16, 2007: I would stick to the smallies and would stay in the same area all day getting 10 bites boating 6 of them for 21.1 pounds. I was fishing a drop shot with Berkley Gulp Alive vertically. Half of the fish I would catch I would mark on my Vexilar Flasher and entice them into biting. Wisconsin takes the lead with 134.10 pounds for a cumulative total of 235.13 pounds, South Dakota jumping to second with 219.13 pounds and Ohio dropping to third place with 212.7 pounds.

That night at the team meeting we really got together and organized our strategies to pull off the win. That was our only goal now that it was in reach and we had the lead going into the last day.  There were about 4 key areas that all the fish were coming from, and this is where the team would fish the last day to capitalize on.

Jason Stangel checks in before his day 3 take-off.

Tournament Day 3, August 17, 2007: The bite was terrible where Chad and I were fishing. Going into the final day I was exactly 3 pounds behind Chad with 32 pounds. I was determined to stay put hoping we could both squeak out another limit from this area and let the cards fall were they may. I had two good smallmouth by 9:00 for about 10 pounds. Chad left for the shallower bite along with several of the other boats.  I backed off the key area to the outside of it and had the biggest smallie of my life up to and in the net, with the net fully extend the fish was in the net, then to our surprise the fish jumped out of the net and my line snapped. I fell to my knees, my heart sunk, I welled up, and my hands were shaking. I just lost the big fish of the tourney and there went my chance to the FNC I thought!  It was almost 10:00 and I only had two fish, it took me about 30 minutes to regain my composure. I would catch my 3rd fish about 4pounds and my 4th fish, would come shortly after. I sat on this area for another 2 hours with out a bite and the waves were getting bigger.  I decided to run to an isolated rock pile a few miles away with no luck.  I ran back to the original area I caught my fish, and on the way back, my butt seat broke. The waves where getting big, 4 and 5 footers so all I could do was hold on to my butt seat power pole rod to keep from falling in. Every wave now was crashing over the deck.  I was surprised that after all day of fishing that my Minn Kota and Trojan Batteries could hold me directly over the area I was fishing. On the very first drop when I got back to my original spot where I caught my first fish, I landed a 3-pound Smallie to finish out my limit for what I thought was about 20 pounds. Now I was happy for all the effort fighting the big waves.

Final Day Weigh-In: The excitement was building as Team Wisconsin was weighing in a lot of fish but so was Ohio!  Chad said he had a limit, and I was sure he had the 17.5 pounds he needed to beat me. Even before we weighed in I was happy for him. We learned a lot from each other fishing club events, and we shared everything at the WBFN State Tournament in Sturgeon Bay in 2006 to make the BASS Northern Divisional. Fishing is a game of decisions and I felt I didn’t make the right ones the first day and I lost some fish that I shouldn’t have.

The BASS Tournament Director, Jon Stewart held back the Day 2 leaders from each State to weigh their fish last. Jon would call the leader from each state that previously weighed in to be on stage when the day two state leaders approached the scale to decide between the two of them who would go to the BASS Federation Nation National Championship. When they called both Chad and I to come to the stage and the scale settled, I was shocked that I had 10 ounces more and get to move on to the FNC.

Jason waits for the final results from Ray Scott, as Chad Johnson looks on.

I was elated but saddened that it came down to my good friend Chad and myself to go on the FNC. But Chad, being the good friend that he is, was happy for me that I was the 2007 WBFN contender to the FNC. After what seemed like an eternity and interviews by BASS and FNC contender photos, they were ready to announce the 2007 Northern Divisional Champions.

The entire team gathered together in a huddle when there were only two states left to decide the Championship and they announced Ohio as the second place team, the Wisconsin Team went wild. You had to have been there as it was one of the most exciting moments in my life. We were all hugging, shaking hands high fives flying, and it was a great experience. Team Wisconsin beat out Ohio for first place by a whopping 44 pounds, 396.10 to 342.10 cumulative pounds, Awesome!

This was a dream and one of my goals since I joined the Federation 18 yrs ago at 16, and it finally happened!  This could not have happened with out the help of every one of the guys on the state team working together. I was just the lucky one that gets to move on, and I hope in the future every one on the Team gets the same chance!  This was an experience that I will never forget, the new friends you meet, the opportunity to weigh in fish with Ray Scott on stage next to you, WOW!  I will try my best at the FNC to represent Wisconsin well and hopefully will be able move on to the Classic! I sit here today excited for the opportunity, but a little frustrated not knowing where the FNC will be held in November.

Thanks Team Wisconsin: Chad Johnson, Kevin Fassbind, Jim Barczak, Brent Lindus Jon Wojak, Rick Lindus, Mike McQuity, Dan Brovarny, Mike Mattis, Chris Johnson, Dan Elsner, Terry Hilbert and David Snyder.

Special thanks to the Wisconsin Bass Federation Nation Sponsors: Triton, Lowrance, Evan Williams, Quantum, Fig Rig, Suffix, Mercury, Motor Guide and Brovarny Baits. Thanks isn’t enough to Terry Hilbert and Dave/Kathy Snyder

My personal key Equipment used: 521VX Ranger – 225 HO DI Evinrude, Minn Kota 52” 101, Trojan batteries, FL-20 Vexilar Flasher, 7’ med action Fig Rig Spinning Rod, Quantum KT30 Reel, spooled with 8# Invizx Seaguar Fluorocarbon, Spro Swivels, Lindy No Snag Rattlin Weights, 1/0 Owner Hooks and Berkley Gulp Alive.

Thank You,
Jason Stangel
Proud member of the WBFN

Northern Divisional National Contenders