Contributed
This year’s annual Lake Auman Sports Club’s Spring Team Bass Tournament took place on Saturday, May 18, 2024 on Lake Auman.
Twenty-five anglers made up the 11 teams that participated in this four-hour catch-and-release event, with prizes awarded to teams with the heaviest total weights for the day and to individuals for the largest bass caught.
The weather cooperated, as did the fish. Overall, there were 50 fish that made it to the weigh-in, with reports from the contestants of catching three to four times more fish than the allowed five-fish keeper limit, making this year’s tournament the most successful fishing in several years.
First-place honors went to Chris Helmer, who fished solo, with his five fish total weight of 21.12 pounds.
In second place on the leaderboard was the team of Nathan, Blake and Gray Stroven, whose team finished with five fish totaling 18.95 pounds.
In third place, rounding out the prize winner list, was Adam Minicucci and his son Kierce, last year’s winners, with their five-fish total weight of 17.6 pounds.
This year saw more fish caught than in past years and bigger fish as well. The big bass prize went to Chris Hellmer for catching a six-pound, 14 ounce bass. Chris also weighed in the third largest bass weighing four pounds, 15 ounces. Second largest bass prize went to Adam Minicucci for his six-pound, 1.5 ounce fish.
Participating anglers always enjoy a picnic luncheon at Johnson Point following these bass tournaments and this year continued that tradition.
Helping with this year’s event were Tom Gaffney, Sandy Golding, Adam Howland and Don Smith. Tom Gaffney and Sandy Golding officiated the weigh-in.
On hand to capture the event on camera was LASC photographer Steve Reid, who also participated in the tournament. Additional pictures were submitted by Sandy Golding and Dan Lambert.
The Lake Auman Sports Club bass tournaments are held each year in the spring. For questions and additional information about tournaments or the Sports Club, contact the tournament organizer Don Smith.
