P
By David A. Brown
14
yeongChang, Sochi, Vancouver –
all logical sites for Winter
Olympics, principally for their
abundance of snow. Equally, Lake
Okeechobee – with its warm winter cli-
mate and ample sunshine – offered an
ideal and productive setting for the
first ever PanAmerican Black Bass
Championship, held Feb. 7-8 at
Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina
& Resort in Clewiston, Fla.
Organized to promote the goal of
making bass fishing an Olympic sport,
the event was part of a larger effort by
the Confederation Internationale de la
Peche Sportive (CIPS) and sanctioned
by the PanAmerican Sportfishing
Delegation. The latter awarded host-
ing honors to USA Bass, a branch of
United States Angling Confederation
(U.S. Angling), to which FLW is provid-
ing logistical assistance.
The championship event involved 22
two-person teams, five of which wore
Team USA jerseys. Canada took eight,
Mexico six and Costa Rica completed the
field with three teams. Anglers fished for
daily five-bass limits, with winners deter-
mined by the heaviest two-day weight.
Gold, silver and bronze medals were
awarded for individual team and overall
national team performance.
Martins Win Gold at PanAm Bass Fishing Championship
Among the notable participants
were three past Forrest Wood Cup
champions – FLW Tour pros John Cox,
Scott Martin and David Dudley – along
with nine-time Bassmaster Angler of
the Year Roland Martin, Canadian fish-
ing star Bob Izumi, and Mexican TV
fishing personality Richie Gonzalez.
At final tally, Scott Martin and
Roland Martin won the individual
team gold medal with 15.51 kg, or
about 34 pounds, 3 ounces, while
leading Team USA to the country gold.
After placing 10th on day one with 11
pounds, the father-son duo roared
back with a day-two limit of 23-3 – the
FLWFISHING.COM I APRIL 2018