Cooperstown Native Wins St. Croix Bassmaster Open
By WRILEY NELSON
OSAGE BEACH, MO
Cooperstown native Kyle Patrick has reached new heights in the world of competitive bass fishing. The 26-year-old won the three-day St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks with an impressive tournament total of 53 pounds, 11 ounces on Sunday, September 24. The feat earned Patrick a $44,134.00 prize and an automatic berth at the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, scheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees in Oklahoma.
“It’s a pretty incredible experience,” Patrick said. “Competing at such an elite level has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and it still hasn’t really sunk in that I’m there. I can’t believe that I got one of the 50 berths in the [BM Classic] tournament; it’s like the Super Bowl of bass fishing.”
“The Open was part of the BM EQ series, which is itself one of the most competitive circuits,” he continued. “You never really think you can win one at that level, but everything just came together. I finished the second day in second place and just went out and had a blast doing what I love.”
Patrick will next compete in the BM EQ Series competition at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida on October 12-14. He goes into this last tournament of the season ranked sixth in the Opens Standings; the top 10 anglers at the end of the season advance to the prestigious Elite Series.
“I started fishing on Otsego Lake as a kid,” Patrick recalled. “The first club I joined was the Susquehanna Bass Association, and they taught me everything I know. I really want to thank Don Hoag, Vic Vansteenburg, Jim O’Brien and the rest of the local guys. I can’t thank them enough.”
“I still can’t believe it,” he concluded.