IHSA bass fishing: My take/notes on 2011 sectionals

The good news is that the high schoolers pressed on under tough conditions Thursday and Friday to catch some bass at most sectional sites of the third Illinois High School Association bass fishing tournament; the bad news is that adult decisions put the kids in that tough spot to begin with.

The good news is some quality fish were caught under post-frontal conditions, almost-wintry conditions, in northern Illinois. Such as the 4.14-pound largemouth caught by Grant Park’s Max Gossett (above) at the Wolf Lake sectional, where wicked northeast winds in the 40s came off Lake Michigan and water temperatures were 46 degrees.

The bad news is that another sectional was held at Tampier Lake, which is unsuited for a sectional. And fishermen have known and said that since year one of the tournament.

The first two years, Tampier was the worst sectional in the state. This year it was second worst simply because Skokie Lagoons was flooded, dirty and cold, and only one keeper was caught there.

What makes it totally unacceptable is that there are other options for those two sectionals. Off the top of my head I come up with three: Des Plaines Conservation Area, Lake Calumet/Cal System/Des Plaines River out of Alsip or the Western Avenue launch on the south Branch of the Chicago River.

All three of those sites would be far superior to Tampier and Skokie Lagoons as sectional sites.

Hats off to Niles North’s Jeff Wu, who caught the only keeper (1 pound, 4 ounces) at Skokie Lagoons and to three kids who caught keepers at Tampier.

Click here for the sectional results already posted by the IHSA.

I will go through the Chicago-area sectionals and have a brief on Downstate at the end.

WOLF LAKE: I was there and Grant Park put on a show with five keepers and culling one. Only five other teams caught one. That’s the second sectional title in three years for Grant Park coach Bill Ekhoff. Marist’s Jim O’Neil caught a 2.38-pound largemouth at 8:30 a.m., then sweated it out. While Sandburg advanced to state for the third consecutive year when Khairy Atieh caught a 2.03-pound largemouth in the final hour.

SHABBONA LAKE: If must have paid off when Marmion’s Brad Warland and David Thielen discussed strategy with coach Joe Large while waiting for take-off (below).

Marmion won on two keepers for 5.75 pounds. Thielen caught the first keeper early morning, then Warland caught his keeper late in the day.

Left to right, that’s third-place Indian Creek, second-place Sandwich and first-place Marmion Academy.

Large sent this:

LaSALLE: Nine of 10 schools caught limits. Coal City finished second and makes its second state appearance. Streator qualified both its teams and had the big fish 5.12, caught by Blake Angelico.

HEIDECKE: Joliet Central, Naperville North and Minooka advanced. Minooka made it on the basis of Jake Bryce’s big bass (3.74).

BUSSE: Wheaton-Warrenville South is returning to state on the strength of Alex Bielik’s 3-14 bass. Also advancing were Streamwood and Wheaton North.

CHAIN 1: Chris Duffy of Stevenson had the big fish (1.8) as Stevenson, Jacobs and St. Viator advanced.

CHAIN 2: For the second time, Zion-Benton advanced to state. Grant took first with the help of Tony Moulis’ big bass of 2.1.

TAMPIER: Nichole Mara caught the big bass of 2-4 to lead one Hinsdale Central team to state. Hinsdale Central also advanced its other team. As did Stagg.

SKOKIE LAGOONS: Again congrats to Wu. But it is too bad, other schools will not have a chance to experience state.

DOWNSTATE NOTES: At Forbes, Austin Hayes of Effingham St. Anthony caught a 5.58 bass, which I think is the big one for the state. . . . Banner Marsh produced a 4.53 for Farmington’s Mason Vonk. . . . Monticello qualified both teams at Shelbyville.