Burlington ? Thirty-three boats of participants landed more than 750 fish at the annual Governor’s Fishing Classic earlier this month at Coffey County Lake.

The grand champion trophy, awarded for the most smallmouth bass caught, went to Bill Hopkins and Ron Stites of Kansas City, Mo., and their guide, Roy Benjamin of Emporia.

The trophy for most fish caught (87) went to Wolf Creek employees Tom Coates and John Freersken and their guide, Mike Herr of Harrisonville, Mo. This team also won top honors in the wiper category. John Prather and Will Carpenter of El Dorado and their guide, Marc Murrell of Newton, took top walleye honors.

The real winners were the approximately 150 young anglers from across Kansas who spent the afternoon learning fish ecology, casting techniques, and fishing from the banks of the lake.

Tina Ratcliff of Hamilton and Sam Alsbrooks of Shawnee won the youth essay contests. Their essays, entitled “My Best Fishing Trip Ever,” were judged the winners out of more than 40 entries.

“The event was simply outstanding,” says Hank Booth, executive director of Kansas Wildscape.

The Governor’s Fishing Classic is an annual event sponsored and managed by the Kansas Wildscape Foundation, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to creating outdoor opportunities and events in Kansas.