One-hundred thirty of the best bass anglers in the state of West Virginia will play the waters of the Monongahela River this weekend in search of one of the largest tournament purses in the state.
Sixty two-man teams will fish Saturday and Sunday in the West Virginia Bass Federation Invitational Championship for a share of the $18,000 prize money.
"It’s the biggest no-entry-fee tournament in the state," said John Burdette, president of the West Virginia Bass Federation, the group sanctioning the event. "You had to qualify into this one by fishing our Buddy Trail tournaments."
The Buddy Trails are a schedule of six tournaments dating back to April that fish waters all across the state of West Virginia. There are two divisions, one in the north another in the south, the top 30-teams for each division after the six-tournament schedule qualify to fish in Morgantown this weekend.
It’s the third year for the event put on in Morgantown in conjunction with Wild Wonderful Mountainfest.
"It started when I had a conversation with the mayor (Ron Justice) and he asked why we never had any tournaments up there, instead we always went out of Pricketts Fort down in Fairmont,” said Burdette on West Virginia Outdoors. "I told him there just were the parking facilities for the boat trailers up here."
That conversation sparked a new and aggressive effort to create a launching facility on the Mon River in the Morgantown area. The ramp was completed last year and will be used by anglers this weekend easing the logistical problems of shuttles to and from the weigh in.
"We really thank the DNR, the city, and the community for really pushing that," said Burdette. "It was really needed."
The anglers will attack the Mon River in search of bass. Burdette says it isn’t a problem to find them.
"That’s one thing this tournament is abbot is to showcase the river,” Burdette said. "I’ve fished it for years and it’s a heck of a fishery. There aren’t a lot of five-pound fish, but there are a lot of good fish and it’s one of the best fisheries in the state."
The reputation of the Mon and its exposure are growing. This year, the Bass Federation’s Mid-Atlantic Divisional will be staged out of Morgantown in September. The regional tournament will draw 12-man fishing teams from seven states for a two-day event.
This weekend’s event will feature the live weigh-in at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park on the city’s waterfront. Weigh-in each day is at 4:00 and is free to the public.