Bass fisherwoman: Young Dine angler captures junior state championship

By Santiago Ramos Jr.
Special to the Times

GRANTS – Los Lunas seventh grader Hannah Sage showed that she’s a promising angler.

The 12-year-old Navajo angler, who is originally from Breadsprings, N.M., was part of the winning team, the High Country Youth Anglers, that captured the junior division of the New Mexico Bass Nation State Championships.

The bass fishing championships were held late last month at Ute Lake that’s located in northeast New Mexico, 24 miles northeast of Tucumcari.

Sage, whose grandparents are Raymond Begaye of Breadsprings and Phyllis Baker of Gallup, also won the state junior championship “Big Bass” award by catching the biggest bass in the tournament.

Sage teamed up with another angler, with Brian Stangel as their boat captain. The winners received tackle bags, backpacks and rods/reels.

Prior to state, Sage competed in two qualifying events – one in June and another in July both at Ute Lake, which is one of the longest lakes in the state at 13 miles and one of the largest lakes in the Southwest, followed by the state championships in late August.

Ute Lake is part of the Ute Lake State Park that features a large 8,200-acre reservoir on the Canadian River that’s home to various fish species including largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and walleye.

At the state competition, the anglers had mandatory meetings on Saturday and then fishing bright and early at 5 a.m. on Sunday.

“We had to be at the water at 5 a.m. and on the boats by 5:30 a.m.,” Sage explained. “We were fishing from 6 a.m. to noon.

“During the tournament there would be a boat captain and two kids per team on each boat,” Sage said. “My boat captain Brian has been very influential and he has taught me a lot during our tournaments when fishing on the boat. I really enjoy fishing from boats.”

During her first qualifier, Sage was paired with a Clovis angler and finished second. During her second qualifier, she was teamed up with a kid from Moriarty and the pair placed third.

During the state tournament, Sage was again paired with the same Moriarty angler from the last qualifier.

Sage said that tournament rules require that each bass be a minimum of 14 inches.

“Often times we would catch a lot of bass but only a select few would be large enough to keep for the weigh-ins,” Sage said.

Before Sage got on the boat at state, she said they did a traditional Navajo prayer ceremony.

“My Cheii went with us and before I got on the boat, my dad and my grandpa did a prayer with corn pollen. I blessed myself and my rods. I was the only Native and the only female in the junior division at state and we ended up winning as a team.”

Sage reeled in her winning bass that weighed 2.5 pounds. Her catch was the largest bass caught in the state tournament and she was given the state junior Big Bass award.

Michael Sage, Hannah’s dad, said that during the July state qualifier, they met several Navajo men at a Chinese restaurant in Tucumcari, that is close to Ute Lake.

“These four guys were talking in Navajo, so we went up to them and introduced ourselves and told them we were getting ready to compete in a fishing tournament,” he said. “They said they were railroad workers from Union Pacific. And I told them my father-in-law Raymond Begaye is retired from UP. They smiled and said they knew my father-in-law and said he’s a good guy. And they proceeded to pull out their wallets and gave Hannah $40 and said good luck in the fishing tournament. We are reaching out to let Hannah’s unofficial Navajo sponsor, Lawrence and the Hardy brothers, know that the donation proved to be a worthwhile investment.”

Sage said she became interested in fishing because of her grandfather, Raymond Begaye.

“I became interested in fishing because of my Cheii (grandfather). I was only about 8 or 9 years old when I caught my first fish,” she said. “That’s when fishing sparked my interest. Ever since then I have been literally ‘hooked.’ I love the thrill and challenges of fishing. I go fishing a lot with my Cheii, my dad and my little brother ‘Blue Gill Will.’”

Sage, who is from the Sagebrush Clan born for Red Streak/Warrior Clan, admitted that she embraces the calmness of the sport.

“I enjoy the calmness and focus that fishing brings like throwing the line out far, feeling the fish bite, seeing the bobber go down and fishing the fish,” she said. “I love fishing for many reasons from being the way you have a variety of different lures, bait colors, sizes and lastly different fish. Fishing brings a different feeling for everyone. For me, It’s exciting.”

Sage said she prefers fishing for bass.

“The one fish I like to try and catch the most are bass,” she said. “You’re constantly casting out a bait or lure to try and get the fish. They fight amazingly, they are always a tough fight and I love that about fishing, the way you get to fight the fish and then in the end you get to see what size your fish is.”

Sage said that the next tournament will be the 2024 B.A.S.S. Nation Championships which she qualified for with her state win.

“I also want to travel and explore more fishing opportunities in other states and become more experienced in fishing,” said Sage, a straight A student, who plays volleyball, basketball and was added to the Los Lunas All-Star softball team.

---