The inaugural Knox Marine Battle on the Water Youth Tournament brought young anglers and their families together July 18 for a day of bass fishing, competition and community at Knox Lake.
Held as part of Knox Marine’s first Customer Appreciation Day, the event featured a youth bass fishing tournament, an appearance by professional angler John Cox, sales on boats and fishing gear, raffles and activities designed to celebrate young anglers and promote the future of fishing.
Steve Dalton, co-owner of Fredericktown-based Knox Marine, said the event exceeded expectations.
“It was a spectacular event,” Dalton told Mount Vernon News. “Out of all the things we've done over the years, it just was a major success. There were so many parents and kids.”
The youth tournament attracted nearly a full field after registration filled almost immediately. Although one team withdrew because of illness and another did not arrive, 23 teams comprised of 46 youth anglers launched onto Knox Lake following a morning ceremony led by Knox Marine pro staff member Jeremy Reese.
Before the boats departed, Reese welcomed participants and emphasized that the day was about more than competition.
“Before we head out, I want to remind everybody that today is about more than catching fish,” Reese said in a video posted to Facebook. “It's about the friendships you build, the lessons you learn, and the memories you make on the water.”
The takeoff ceremony included the national anthem and a prayer before boats left the dock at 6 a.m.
Boats launching during the inaugural Knox Marine Battle on the Water Youth Tournament at Knox Lake. (Facebook / Knox Marine-LTD)
Knox Marine pro staff member Jeremy Reese sent anglers off during the inaugural Knox Marine Battle on the Water Youth Tournament. (Facebook / Knox Marine-LTD)
The tournament targeted largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass under special tournament regulations approved by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Participants were permitted to weigh bass measuring at least 12 inches under an exemption to Knox Lake's standard 18-inch length limit.
Professional angler John Cox, a Vexus pro staff member and Bassmaster Elite Series competitor, served as master of ceremonies for the noon weigh-in and spent the afternoon meeting with participants and attendees.
Knox Marine parts manager Brodhi Steele said many teams brought impressive catches to the scales.
“A lot of kids did bring in a five-fish limit,” Steele told the Mount Vernon News. “Some kids brought in one or two, but everyone I talked to had a really good time.”
The youth anglers used a variety of techniques.
“Kids were catching them on about everything from what I heard: spinnerbaits, jigs, sinkers, a bunch of soft plastics, all the way up to buzzbaits,” Steele said. “They did really, really well with versatility, using different techniques and different options.”
Steele said the tournament unfolded without incident.
"We didn't have any major issues. We thought the stump field being up in there would cause a little chaos, but it did not,” Steele said. “Everything went smooth. The kids went out, we did a bunch of on-water photos, and we got a really cool drone video of them out there.”
Sloan McGhee and Myles Frazier of the Kokosing Valley Junior Anglers team won the tournament with a five-fish limit weighing 11.97 pounds, guided by boat captain Brock McGhee. Lincoln Burns and Jace Norris of the Jaw Jackerz team finished second with 11.35 pounds, with boat captain Richard Burns. Jonah Armstrong and Shai Chambers of the Jackson Co. Freshmen Phenoms team placed third with 9.74 pounds and also claimed Big Bass honors with a 3.29-pound largemouth, with boat captain Cody Dawson. Ben Prosser and Sam Prosser of the Prosser&Prosser team finished fourth with 9.22 pounds, guided by boat captain Michael Simonton.
First-place finishers Sloan McGhee and Myles Frazier posing with Vexus pro staff angler John Cox. (Facebook / Knox Marine-LTD)
First-place boat captain Brock McGhee was also recognized. (Facebook / Knox Marine-LTD)
Second-place finishers Lincoln Burns and Jace Norris pose with Vexus pro staff angler John Cox. (Facebook / Knox Marine-LTD)
Third-place finishers and Big Bass winners Jonah Armstrong and Shai Chambers posed with Vexus pro staff angler John Cox. (Facebook / Knox Marine-LTD)
Steele said the winning catch reflected a strong day on the water for many competitors.
"Big bass for the day was a 3.30-pound, big, healthy green largemouth, a beautiful fish. The winning weight was just shy of 12 pounds,” he said.
Steele congratulated the winners and participants alike.
“Those guys rocked it,” he said. “They had a good day. They all rocked it. All those kids did."
Beyond the competition and results, organizers said the tournament’s biggest success was creating a memorable experience for the young anglers and their families.
“The kids had fun,” Steele said. “That's what it was about. We promoted that mostly.”
Following the weigh-in, Knox Marine presented custom plaques to the top finishers and Big Bass winner while every participant received prizes donated by local sponsors and vendors, including Crown Battery, Land and Sea, Donovan Marine and The Finn.
"We had gift cards for them," Steele said. “We had giveaway bags full of line and stuff like that, all given away to these kids.”
Reflecting on the event, Steele said the strong turnout from families made the Customer Appreciation Day a success and showed Knox Marine's commitment to youth fishing and the local boating community.
"It definitely wasn't like a traditional open house,” he said. “It was more fun for us and more laid back.”
“That's the future of bass fishing and Knox Marine, making those connections. We had a really good turnout. We sold a couple of boats in the middle of it, too, so that was good. But for the most part we did it for those kids, to make them feel appreciated and try to make it a big thing for them. They all got their picture with John Cox, and they had a good time."
Photos and video from the event as well as results are posted on Knox Marine’s Facebook page.
As part of Customer Appreciation Day, Knox Marine also raffled guided fishing trips and other prizes.
Jeremiah Norris won a guided walleye fishing trip with professional angler Mike DeFibaugh, while Dan Sanders received a guided crappie fishing trip with Randy Bussart. Tracy Divelbiss won two crappie rods, John Schoonyan and Hoyt Lewis each won a Crown Battery and Sandy Winegar received an Interstate Battery.
