Craig Daily Press

Steve Drake and Don Eriksen spend their days working at the Craig Station power plant. When the weekend comes, their minds turn to their real passion -- bass fishing.

"I love my bass fishing," Eriksen said. "The more waters you know how to fish, the better off you are in the tournaments."

Drake and Eriksen recently started District 92 of American Bass Anglers, a national organization of bass fishermen. The organization hosts more than 1,000 tournaments each year and has more than100 districts around the country. The goal of the Craig anglers is to host local tournaments for cash prizes and trophies.

The group's first tournament will take place April 8 and 9 at Pelican Reservoir southwest of Venal, Utah. Members are organizing two, one-day tournaments, which Drake and Eriksen said hope will stir up interest in the sport.

"This tournament is built for the weekend angler," Eriksen said. "It's about travel and fishing and the camaraderie with other anglers."

Drake hosted a meeting of interested bass enthusiasts at his home Wednesday evening, where the talk between the seven present was all about tournament fishing.

The day starts before first light and participants are allowed exactly eight hours to fish. Boats late in returning are docked one pound per minute for missing the stop deadline. The $55 entry fee goes to prizes for the top four places, as well as the angler who lands the big bass of the day. Whatever the fishing rules are for the lake, will also apply to the tournament, and anglers are not allowed within 50 yards of other contestants, unless invited in.

Drake and Eriksen know about bass fishing tournaments. They have already been in seven this year, recently returning from Lake Alan Henry in Texas.

Drake took 1st place in that tournament two weeks ago, and also had the big bass of the day. Eriksen, ranked # 95 in the nation, came in second.

"I've had some good luck," Eriksen said. "I'm in it for the points, to get to nationals."

For an angler to get to the ABA nationals, or at least the drawing for the national tournament, he must have entered four one-day tournaments and one two-day tournament.

This year, the national tournament is at Kentucky Lake, on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. Last year's national champion won more than $300,000 in cash and prizes.

To win a bass boat would be nice, but the anglers at Drakes home on Wednesday were there because they love to fish.

"If you like to fish, you have to pay the price," Alex Medrano said, referring to the entry fee. "I like to fish, but I'm a catch-and-release guy."

Eriksen pointed out that even without a boat, anglers are allowed to enter the tournaments and usually can share a boat with a lone fisherman.

Drake and Eriksen said they can't wait for Elkhead Reservoir to re-open summer of 2007. Then they plan to have tournaments there after the couple of years required for a drained lake to return to good bass fishing.

"The lake was really good fishing before the construction began," Drake said. "It will come back."

Interested anglers can call Eriksen at 629-2915 or Drake at 629-1751.

For information about the national bass association, visit www.americanbassangler.com or call (888) 203-6222.

Dan Olsen can be reached at 824-7031, ext. 207, or dolsen@craigdailypress.com