Local anglers named to Team Ontario for U.S. event
John McGoey third, Andrew Shufelt seventh at provincial qualifier
Two Peterborough anglers have earned the right to represent Ontario at a major U.S. event next summer.
John McGoey placed third and Andrew Shufelt seventh at Ontario Bass Nation’s 2019 Hank Gibson provincial qualifier. The event was held on Rice Lake at Golden Beach Resort on the weekend.
The top 10 qualified for OBN’s Team Ontario for the 2020 Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) regional championship next summer.
The date and location are to be announced.
It’s the first time the Peterborough Bassmasters members have made Team Ontario.
McGoey’s two-day catch of five fish weighed 19.90 pounds while Shufelt’s six weighed 17.66 lb.
Belleville’s Randy Deschamps placed first at 21.38 and Mississauga’s Andrej Chowaniec second at 20.48.
McGoey, 50, who operates OK Tire on The Parkway, has been a competitive angler for 20 years.
His biggest accomplishment was a 19th place finish at a Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) event In Maryland. This was his fourth time competing in the provincial qualifier.
“It will be pretty cool to be a part of Team Ontario. It’s been a life goal,” he said.
McGoey was the Day 1 leader with a weight of 13.86 lb including a 5.86-lb fish of the day.
He credits luck and his knowledge of Rice Lake for his success.
“I fished the event with no practice which is sort of crazy,” he said. “It’s one of the first events I’ve been nervous to fish.”
He and Shufelt will travel together.
“It will take a bit of pressure off. We can split the lake up to practice more efficiently,” McGoey said.
“We all fish against each other throughout the year,” Shufelt said. “Now we’re all a team.”
Shufelt, 46, has fished competitively for 12 years and twice qualified for FLW events in Arkansas and Missouri but he says BASS is a bigger event.
“I’ve done it on the FLW side and wanted to try it on the BASS side,” Shufelt said.
“This is the road to the Bassmasters Classic which is the Super Bowl of fishing,” he said.
The regional event is the second of three qualifying steps for the Classic.
“Only two Canadians have ever fished the Classic — Hank Gibson and Charles Sim,” Shufelt said.
“This year three Canadians qualified through a different system but not a lot of Canadians are able to get that far down the path.”
Zachary White of Hastings also qualified as a non-boater.