The 2016 Border City Classic is over and reflecting on the weekend I can only say, thank-you to the weather for being such an improvement from last year. Being our first year fishing both Saturday and Sunday, and even though we had a slight drop in participation, the consensus is to keep the event a two-day format.
The Kayak Fishing Community is growing in Michigan and Ontario each year and without the support of our sponsors, events like the BCC wouldn’t survive. Our main sponsors, Hobiecat, and Hobie Fishing has played a big part in the sport, hosting the Hobie Fishing Worlds each of the last five years and with this year it being held in Louisiana, USA the draw to have the opportunity to represent your country at this prestigious event makes the qualifying events like the BCC very special. With over 100 participants the BCC is still the largest kayak fishing event in Michigan and Ontario and is still the only International event of it’s kind in North America.
Along with Hobiecat, Kokatat, Okuma, and Scotty have continued as major sponsors for the BCC each year. All have played a big part of our sport’s growth. Summit Sports, KATS – Midwest, Navionics, Dan’s Nautical Shop, Yakattack, Backwater Paddle, Rod Glove, and SeaDek also provided prizes for the draw for the Windsor event. . Baitcloud a new company in Ontario, Canada, that provide bait attractant products donated a tube of their product to all of the competitors of the BCC / Windsor.
The Windsor anglers donated $1,180.00 to “Make-A-Wish Southwestern Ontario”, from the raffle of prizes donated by the sponsors. In Michigan a combined total of $1,500.00 has been collected for the “Blessings In A Backpack” organization who provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry.
Lake St. Clair didn’t disappoint with 35 kayak anglers on Saturday and 31 on Sunday catching over 50 inches of Bass and 24 anglers totaling over 100 inches for a two-day total. The wind changed almost 180 degrees along with the speed on Sunday making fishing on the American side of LSC more difficult
BCC veteran of all six years and always finishing near the top, Dave Poole took first place overall and grabbed the Canadian berth to the 2016 Hobie Fishing Worlds, fishing the crowded water near the mouth of the Detroit River. With a two-day total of 115 inches and a four-inch cushion from 2015 BCC winner Tim Percy, Dave also landed a 21 ¼” SM Bass that took the $570 Big Bass Pot. He took home $1,350.00 cash along with $1,200 to go towards his expenses at the Hobie World Championships in Louisiana.
From the American anglers, Tom Mullins, started strong on Saturday with 58 ½ inches of bass leading all anglers at the end of day one. His 51 ¼ inches on Sunday dropped him to fourth, though as the highest American angler he will represent the Midwest at the Hobie Fishing Worlds in Louisiana.
The USA vs Canada Challenge Cup, where the top three fish per day form the American and Canadian anglers are measured up, was tied going into Sunday thanks to Tom Mullins strong Saturday showing. The change in wind on Sunday may have played an advantage to the Canadians and help them continue to dominate at the BCC. With only two Americans deciding to fish the Canadian side of the lake and both finish in the top 10, it is a wonder that more don’t make the trip over and fish the un pressured bass in Ontario water of Lake St. Clair.
The 2016 BCC was scored again using iAngler and with more choosing the App on their smart phones to upload their fish, it made scoring and judging easier and quicker at the end of the day.
Eric Siddiqi from Cincinnati, Ohio won the Hobie Mirage Outback draw at the American awards, and Barry Smith from Sombra, Ontario won the Hobie Mirage Outback draw in Windsor. Thanks to both Hobiecat, and Summit Sports for their generous donation of the Mirage Outbacks. Type your paragraph here.