Photo by Emily Hand/B.A.S.S.
Hartley’s Hawgs Anglers Win Bassmaster Junior Championship
HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — Mike Abbott and Braden McNamara were the second-best junior team in Ohio this year, but they were unbeatable in the Bassmaster Junior Championship (BJC), which concluded here on Wednesday.
Abbott and McNamara caught a two-day total of 10 bass that weighed 20 pounds, 3 ounces on Carroll County 1,000 Acre Recreation Lake (Tenn.). That was 9 ounces more than North Carolina’s Hunter Alexander and Hayden Hammond, who had the lead after Day 1 and finished second overall with 19-10.
Abbott and McNamara both are 14 and will start high school in a few weeks. They are members of Hartley’s Hawgs, the team sponsored by longtime pro and Ohio resident Charlie Hartley.
It was the third time Abbott qualified for the Junior Championship, and the second for McNamara. They hadn’t fished together at nationals previously, but they teamed-up for the Ohio B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship, where they finished in second place and earned their berth in the BJC.
“This is our last year to be able to fish Juniors,” McNamara said. “We just wanted to end on a bang.”
That they did!
Abbott and McNamara caught an 11-0 limit on Day 1, which was good enough for second place, but left them a full 3-4 behind Alexander and Hammond. The Ohio tandem remained steady with a 9-3 sack on Wednesday, and they assumed the hot seats about midway through the final weigh-in.
Alexander and Hammond were the last team to weigh on Wednesday, and they had only 5-6 in their sack, which allowed Abbott and McNamara to vault past them for the championship.
“These guys picked the spot we were going to fish when we were sitting in the garage 500 miles from here,” said Brian McNamara, Braden’s dad and the duo’s boat captain this week. “It’s the same spot we fished both days of this tournament. It was a 100-yard ditch. I have no idea how they came up with it, but it worked.”
The spot proved itself in practice when Abbott caught a 10-pounder. But after drawing boat number 52 (in a 62-boat field) to begin Day 1, the boys were concerned another team would beat them to their spot of choice.
None did, however, and Team Ohio went to work — McNamara with a Bass Pro Shops 1/4-ounce tungsten finesse jig with a YUM Christie Craw trailer, and Abbott with a similar custom jig. They caught a limit early on Day 1, with McNamara’s 4-10 anchoring the bag.
The bite was more difficult Wednesday, with Abbott and McNamara catching only seven or eight keepers. McNamara also was without the jig he used Tuesday, after the knot slipped during a cast and the lure sank to the bottom of the lake.
“That kind of hurt,” he said. “I had just tied it on and it just fell off.”
So, McNamara threw a custom jig on Wednesday instead, and Abbott chose a Strike King Bitsy Flip, also with the Christie Craw trailer. The combination worked, and they were able to catch enough to win the Championship.
“I was hoping and praying (on the way here,) thinking what this would be like,” McNamara said. “It’s amazing.” Abbott agreed.
“Having a trophy that says ‘National Champion’ is incredible,” Abbott said. “It took me three years to figure this 
lake out. I’m glad I finally did.”
Abbott and McNamara won a $2,000 scholarship that will be dedicated to their college education. Alexander and Hammond, both 13 and heading into the eighth grade, won a $1,000 scholarship for finishing second. They fish with the Rowan County (N.C.) junior team.
Ryder Krueger and Carson Yero of the Myakka City Junior Bassmasters (Fla.) finished third with 17-14 over two days. The 13-year-old eighth graders also weighed the heaviest bass of the tournament – a 9-0 lunker that sent parents and fans at Wednesday’s weigh-in scrambling for their cellphones.
Krueger caught the bass on a Strike King Rage Tail Space Monkey at about 8:30 a.m. It accounted for more than half of their two-day weight.
“I cast out and it thumped (my lure) really hard. I set the hook on it and it jumped two times. I knew it was a good one.”
“Once I saw it, I knew I had to get the net,” Yero said. “We were full of excitement.”
In all, 32 states and Canada were represented at the BJC. Teams qualified for the tournament via their individual state championship events.
The Carroll County (Tenn.) Chamber of Commerce, Bethel University and the Henry County (Tenn.) Tourism Authority hosted the Bassmaster Junior Championship.
2019 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors Title Sponsor: Mossy Oak Fishing
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2019 Bassmaster Junior Championship 8/6-8/7
1000 Acre Recreational lake, Huntingdon TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Mike Abbott – Braden McNamara Hartleyís Hawgs 0
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 09-03 Total: 10 20-03
2. Hunter Alexander – Hayden Hammond Rowan 0
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 05-06 Total: 10 19-10
3. Ryder Krueger – Carson Yero Myakka Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 06-15 Day 2: 3 10-15 Total: 8 17-14
4. Keaton Bassham – Huntley York Bass Open 0
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 07-06 Total: 10 17-11
5. Carter Pjesky – Jake Mantovani Off the Hook Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 5 10-03 Total: 10 17-07
6. Scotty Hagan – Ross Kearns BottomLine BassMasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-00 Day 2: 5 11-12 Total: 10 16-12
7. Phillip Herring – Calup Williams Greene County Youth Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 06-12 Total: 10 15-01
8. Storm Clark – Gunnar Williamson Harris County Bass Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 07-11 Day 2: 5 07-00 Total: 10 14-11
9. Bo Hollen – Ari Clark Mon Valley Bassmaster’s 0
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 05-02 Total: 10 14-09
10. Grayden Scibilia – Beau McQuade Jr. Potomac River Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 07-13 Day 2: 5 06-03 Total: 10 14-00
11. Trey McKinney – Landon Gabby Off the Hook 0
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 5 07-03 Total: 10 13-15
12. Abigail Panak – Rhiauna Switzer Pretty Water Junior Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 04-14 Total: 10 13-10
13. Gage Adkins – Manning Brooks ROGERSVILLE JR BASS 0
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 5 06-00 Total: 10 12-14
14. Shelby Montgomery – Sarah Jones Lakeside Chiefs 0
Day 1: 3 03-01 Day 2: 5 09-03 Total: 8 12-04
15. Dugger Tipton – Amos Mayes Arkansas Youth Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 4 03-13 Total: 9 12-01
16. Tanner Moulton – Alex Gross NH Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 04-02 Day 2: 5 07-13 Total: 10 11-15
17. Luke Rokavec – Josh Stroud Susquehanna Valley HS Fishing Te 0
Day 1: 5 06-04 Day 2: 5 05-11 Total: 10 11-15
18. Lucas Wray – Will Stephens Russell County Jr Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 5 04-11 Total: 10 10-14
19. Jacob Martin – Seth Thayer Waupaca Jr. Bassbusters 0
Day 1: 5 05-00 Day 2: 5 05-14 Total: 10 10-14
20. Caden Chartier – Alexander Giannotti Rochester Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-04 Day 2: 5 05-10 Total: 10 10-14
21. Alex Gordon – Ty Blanchette BASS Lightning 0
Day 1: 5 05-11 Day 2: 5 05-00 Total: 10 10-11
22. Bradlee Parish – Tyler Guin North Mississippi Student Angler 0
Day 1: 5 04-12 Day 2: 5 05-14 Total: 10 10-10
23. Cody Wilder – Dalton Williams Conway Middle School 0
Day 1: 4 04-03 Day 2: 5 06-04 Total: 9 10-07
24. Curtis Russler – Elijah Ambrose Jr. Potomac River Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-15 Day 2: 4 04-05 Total: 9 10-04
25. Ashton Meland – Alex Meland Eastern Iowa Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-02 Day 2: 5 04-12 Total: 10 09-14
26. Robbie Livar – Wyatt Starks Phoenix Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 04-05 Day 2: 5 05-07 Total: 10 09-12
27. Noah Parrish – Dillon Jost Northern Colorado Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 04-14 Day 2: 5 04-10 Total: 10 09-08
28. Beau Brent – Payton Whirley Anoka-Ramsey 0
Day 1: 4 04-00 Day 2: 5 05-06 Total: 9 09-06
29. Lane Mead – Ryder Kahny Star City Jr. Angler 0
Day 1: 5 05-00 Day 2: 5 04-06 Total: 10 09-06
30. Jayden Snow – Tyler Thilmany Rogers HS Fishing Team & White B 0
Day 1: 2 01-14 Day 2: 5 07-00 Total: 7 08-14
31. Carson Owen – Parker Eubanks Plainview Jr. Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 3 02-11 Total: 8 08-14
32. Joey Elliott – Aiden Pihaylic Anchor Bay Juniors 0
Day 1: 5 06-00 Day 2: 2 02-14 Total: 7 08-14
33. Jayden Corr – Jase Corr Lone Star Jr Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-02 Day 2: 3 03-11 Total: 8 08-13
34. Zach Ventimiglia – Austin Coffman Timberland JR Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 07-14 Day 2: 1 00-14 Total: 6 08-12
35. Justin Weikel – Carter Loss Caleb’s Legacy 0
Day 1: 4 04-12 Day 2: 4 03-15 Total: 8 08-11
36. Tate Jones – Fisher Whitlock Bassett High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-05 Day 2: 5 06-05 Total: 7 08-10
37. Jaxton Collier – Reece Roberts South side Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 02-06 Day 2: 4 06-03 Total: 6 08-09
38. Oakley Howell – Cole Green Guntersville Youth Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 05-03 Day 2: 2 03-05 Total: 7 08-08
39. Nicholas Dellaporta – NJ Junior Bass Nation 0
Day 1: 4 03-14 Day 2: 5 04-09 Total: 9 08-07
40. Carson Kellogg – Nicholas Finley New Lexington Panthers 0
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 1 00-15 Total: 6 08-03
41. Eric Stelly – Camron Jones Lafourche Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-06 Day 2: 3 02-09 Total: 8 07-15
42. Logan Lopossa – Koby Sollars Southside Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 03-01 Day 2: 4 04-14 Total: 7 07-15
43. Gavin Parrish – John Sawyer Batesburg Leesville 0
Day 1: 2 01-08 Day 2: 5 06-02 Total: 7 07-10
44. Caden Sellers – Jackson Rogers Jr. Southwest Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 05-13 Day 2: 2 01-10 Total: 7 07-07
45. Hunter Barrow – Will Compton Magna Vista Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 04-11 Day 2: 3 02-12 Total: 8 07-07
46. Austin Schmidt – Ben Smith Cabot Community Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 2 02-08 Day 2: 5 04-11 Total: 7 07-03
47. Andrew Flannery – Gavin Nicholls Ontario Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 3 04-04 Day 2: 3 02-15 Total: 6 07-03
48. Justin Schmadeke – Hunter Patton Independence Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 04-06 Day 2: 2 02-03 Total: 7 06-09
49. Brody Kellum – Carson Thompson Franklin County Junior Bass 0
Day 1: 5 05-04 Day 2: 1 01-00 Total: 6 06-04
50. Luke McGuffin – Kaleb Butts CHS Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 00-12 Day 2: 5 05-00 Total: 6 05-12
51. Shooter Nelson – Seth Ricketts West Carroll 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 05-01 Total: 5 05-01
52. Parker Welch – Gavin Carson Kickback 0
Day 1: 5 05-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 05-01
53. Jay Walkup – Jaxon Rapp Highlands County Junior Anglers 0
Day 1: 4 04-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 4 04-14
54. Tristen Boyd – Reagan Hershman Grundy County Jr Bass 0
Day 1: 2 02-04 Day 2: 2 02-01 Total: 4 04-05
55. Zachary Morris – Carter Oconnell LA JR bassmasters 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 03-00 Total: 3 03-00
56. Peter Mcdonald – Alex Carl Centennial Bass Club of Northern 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 02-07 Total: 2 02-07
57. Jack Sergeant – Easton Hillard Off The Hook Illinois Bassmaster 0
Day 1: 1 00-11 Day 2: 1 01-12 Total: 2 02-07
58. Garrett Christy – Jake Ross Carson High School 0
Day 1: 2 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 01-13
59. Cody Mundy – Barrett Bennefield Broaddus High School Fishing Tea 0
Day 1: 2 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 01-13
60. Peter Duffy – Bryce Formsma Northview Bass Club 0
Day 1: 1 01-02 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-02
60. Kolton Stevens – Carson Conrad Fair Grove 0
Day 1: 1 01-02 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-02
62. Riley Albanese – Garrett Stotler Berkeley Springs Junior High Sch 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 38 239 301-08
2 33 222 277-01
———————————-
71 461 578-09