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Discovery Bay Teen Wins West's Largest Bass Fishing Tournament

Posted on: Wednesday, 8 February 2006, 09:00 CST

By Paula King, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Feb. 8--John Billheimer Jr. has been a bass angler since he could hold a pole, but the Discovery Bay teen never dreamed that he would dominate the West's largest tournament after only four years of tournament fishing.

Last weekend, the 16-year-old was the youngest fisherman to ever compete in and win the top prize in the FLW Stren Series, a nationally renowned West Coast tournament in Lake Havasu, Ariz. After four days of fishing among 200 seasoned anglers, Billheimer came home with $10,000 in cash and a new boat worth $40,000.

"It is both knowing about fish -- and luck plays a part in it," he said. "I like the competitive side of it."

Billheimer submitted his five biggest catches for the weigh-in with the largest coming in at 6 pounds, 2 ounces. The Liberty High junior partially credits his success with growing up near the Delta, which is one of the best bass fisheries in the nation.

Over the last three years, Billheimer's 29-year-old neighbor Long Nguyen has served as a mentor by teaching him various techniques on the Delta. Nguyen described his protege as open-minded, passionate and determined.

"This by far is such a huge feat. There are adults three times his age that strive for a victory as large as his," Nguyen said. "That caliber of competition is huge."

Last November, Billheimer won his first boat in the Angler's Choice team tournament at Lake Oroville. His partner in that competition was Sacramento teen Justin Lucas.

"He executes very well. Being young, he is very mature for his age. When adults instruct him, he always listens to what they say," Nguyen said. "He understands that he has a lot to learn and he is a student of the game."

Billheimer's skill was apparent in his early teens when he competed in a local teen tournament in Bethel Island and quickly became a mentor to his peers the following year. After starting in tournaments at age 12, Billheimer worked his way up to 15 to 20 tournaments annually, including at Clear Lake and the Delta.

In his spare time, he works at Extreme Outdoorsman in Oakley. Billheimer has his own Web site, www.johnjrbasspro.com, and such high-profile sponsors as Powell Rods, MAS Service, Cheapseats.com, Ranger Boats and Hank Williams Jr.

Because of his commitment to fishing, Billheimer misses a lot of school and brings homework on fishing excursions. He says the sport is determined by a lot of variables, including time of day, weather and time of year.

"I would say it is not a cool sport compared to other water sports," Nguyen said. "Bass fishing has no gender or age boundaries."

Paula King covers Oakley. Reach her at 925-779-7189 or pking@cctimes.com.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)

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