Is an ounce a small measure, one of little consequence? Not in competitive fishing.
To dismiss the power of an ounce in fishing would be like saying a tag at home plate can’t decide a World Series, a nose can’t win the Kentucky Derby, or one one-hundredth of a second has no bearing on which speed-skater wears Olympic gold.
Unlikely to forget the downside of an ounce — the ouch of the ounce, if you will — are Harry Marsh III of New Berlin, Wis., and Henry Schomaker of Pineville, W.Va. Both lost by ounces in the Oct. 29 Junior Bassmaster World Championship on Louisiana’s Cross Lake.
Besting Marsh by 2 ounces was Alex Wetherell of Middletown, Conn., who won in the 15-18 age division with a 4-5 total. In the 11-14 age division, Schomaker was down by 1 ounce to Chris Catucci of Warwick, R.I., who claimed the title with 5-12 (see complete tournament standings below). With the victory, Schomaker and Wetherell took home $5,000 in scholarship prizes apiece.
“It’s kind of heartbreaking,” said Marsh, 17, a high school junior who made it to the Junior World in his first year of club fishing through the New Berlin (Wis.) Junior Brushhawgs. “He (Wetherell) had four fish, I had two fish. If I only would have had one more fish, just one more small fish, I could have won.”
But, he agrees, that’s fishing. And the 2-ounce disappointment isn’t going to stop him from trying again.
“I’m hopefully going to win the Wisconsin state tournament again so I can move on to the northern divisionals again,” he said. “I’m going to try my hardest to get back to the (Junior) World Championship.”
Final Standings
Age 15-18
1 Alex Wetherell -- Middletown, Conn. -- Eastern -- 4, 4-05
2. Harry Marsh III New Berlin, Wis. -- Northern -- 2, 4-03
3. Logan Holt -- Creedmoor, N.C. -- Southern -- 2, 3-10
4. John Duarte -- Baltimore, Md. -- Mid-Atl. -- 2, 2-08
5. Matt Nobile -- Paulina, La. -- Central -- 1, 1-05
6. Tanner Cooper -- Farmington, N.M. -- Western -- 0, 0-00
Age 11-14
1. Chris Catucci -- Warwick, R.I. -- Eastern -- 2, 5-12
2. Henry Schomaker Pineville, W.Va. -- Mid-Atl. -- 2, 5-11
3. Ryan Edwards -- Stuart, Fla. -- Southern -- 4, 4-02
4. Nick Luna -- Grain Valley, Kan. -- Central -- 2, 3-12
5. Ethan Peterson -- Post Falls, Idaho -- Western -- 1, 1-01
6. Joshua Lee -- Star Prairie, Wis. -- Northern -- 0, 0-00
