Northwest Berkley Big Bass Tournament canceled

Northwest Berkley Big Bass Tournament on Oct. 3 at MarDon Resort on Potholes Reservoir has been canceled. The event had been postponed in May.

Marilyn Meseberg, an owner at MarDon Resort, said there were a number of reasons that led to the event being canceled this year. The event was originally moved to October due to event restrictions based on the state’s “Safe Start” reopening guidelines.

Event organizers were hoping the state would have progressed more in the reopening process by the fall, but that hasn’t been the case, with the county still in Phase 2. With the number of anglers expected for the event, Meseberg said she expects organizers were concerned by how well social distancing could be handled, given the number of people.

A body of water that transforms quite a bit throughout the summer, Meseberg said the water level is much lower than it would be in May when the event is typically held. She said this limits the areas where anglers can operate on the lake at this time of year.

More than 100 teams of fishermen were already signed up for the event, with around 300 anglers expected to hit the water for the one-day tournament.