Washington State Junior Bassmaster Jake Cook Wins
2009 Junior Bassmaster World Championship
State Gains Reputation as Junior Angler Powerhouse
Tavares, Florida - October 30, 2009 Jake Cook (18) of Kennewick, Washington fishing for Washington State and the Tri-Cities River Runners, won the 2009 Junior Bassmaster World Championships held by BASS (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) on Lake Yale East in Florida. Cook bested the field of 6 Junior Divisional Champs from around the country by almost doubling the nearest competitor's weight with an impressive 13 pounds 1 ounce total on 5 Florida strain largemouth. The next closest competitor was Craig Conger of St. Peters, MO with 6 pounds 7 ounces on 5 fish. Cook's win is rewarded with a $5,000 college scholarship plus a fully rigged Triton Bass Boat valued at $9,000.
Cook commented on Bassmaster.com, "I did something different than anybody else. I fished some deep water structure. We stuck it out there most of the day throwing crankbaits. We lost some baits but got down to where the fish were."
The road to the World Championship was not easy. Cook has been in the Junior Bassmaster Program for 4 years and has been a regular competitor at the state level. Under a program revision introduced in 2008 the process requires junior anglers to first win their respective state, then win against other state champions in their respective divisions which earns them a birth in the Junior World Championships where they again faced the best of the best in the form of 6 divisional champs. All great young anglers with one thing in mind, winning the Junior Bassmaster World Championship. Cook won the Washington State Championship last April on the Columbia River. He then won the Western Divisional Championships also held on the Columbia in May.
The tournaments are divided into two age groups, 11-14 and 15-18 years old. The younger division was won by John Duarte of Baltimore, MD with 5 pounds.
"These kids are excellent anglers," says Stacy Twiggs, senior manager, B.A.S.S. Federation Nation youth, referring to all 12 of the kids in today's competition. Cook's boat captain, Glenn Pilkinton, echoed the same sentiments about Cook and his younger partner, Nick Jakobi. "They are awesome anglers," he says, "just unbelievable."
The junior tournament was held in conjunction with the Adult version which is the Federation Nation National Championships, where 52 anglers, all state or foreign country champs competed to win or earn a berth in the Super Bowl of Bass fishing - the Bassmaster Classic. This year, Pasco Washington's Don Hogue place second overall, winning the Western Division. Hogue will represent Washington State in the Bassmaster Classic to be held on Lay Lake in Alabama in February of 2010.
BASS of Washington
