KINBURN – Squeezing time between making award-winning maple syrup with his brothers, being a fishing guide for TV stars and working as an Ottawa firefighter, Kinburn’s Scott Barton just got another task dumped on him.

Barton was just named to the Team Canada kayak fishing team in time for the 2019 Pan American Kayak Fishing Bass Championships scheduled this upcoming May.

Team Canada captain James MeBeath announced the team in a Facebook post yesterday (March 25).

“This winter I was asked to captain our first Kayak Bass Fishing Team Canada and be a part of a newly formed Canadian International Sportfishing Association,” McBeath said. “The aim is to begin competing on an international scale following the IOC-styled format of international sport – World Cups, Pan Ams and World Championships. We are starting with bass but will be fielding teams in fly, salt and other sport fishing disciplines over the next while.”

McBeath, who is sponsored by Jackson Kayak (as is Barton), is a Newfoundland native who now class Almonte home. He is a life-long angler and kayaker and won the 2012 Musky Fly-Fishing World Champion held in Tennessee that year.

“The first step is to field a team for the 2019 Pan American Kayak Fishing Bass Championships this coming May in the U.S.” McBeath said. “It is my pleasure to formally announce Team Canada for this event.”

Barton will be part of a 10-man team also including team captain Richard Ofner, Tim Percy, Paul Winkel, John Dean, Dave Poole, Michael Cox, Roberto Briones, Chris Visser and James McBeath (alternate).

The women’s team is made up of Karen Poole, Jamie Stevenson and Cassandra Charity.

“Super-stoked and honoured to announce that I have been selected as a member of Team Canada for the inaugural Pan-Am Kayak Bass Fishing Championship,” Barton posted on his Facebook page. “Honoured to be on the roster with some of the biggest sticks our nation has to offer. Bring on those Tennessee giants.”

The inaugural championship will also be held in Tennessee at Centre Hill Lake May 28 to June 1.

“A huge thank you to my awesome wife and kids for all their love and support,” Barton said.