2010 World Finals Champs Compete in 2011 BoatUS Collegiate National Championship

Finished 19th out of field of 144 collegiate teams!

5/27/11, Lake Lewisville, TX – 2010 High School Fishing World Champions, Ethan Snyder and Jared Raymer of Meade County High School Kentucky arrived in style at the 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship and finished in style as well! The team was provided a fully wrapped Ranger Boat to compete in against the nation’s top COLLEGIATE bass fishing teams. Snyder and Raymer really liked driving that wrapped Ranger, “It was pretty awesome because people would immediately recognize who you were.” They earned a berth into this tournament as the first ever High School Fishing World Finals Champs in 2010 at Russellville, Ark.

Almost 300 collegiate anglers, representing universities from throughout the United States gathered at the Cabela’s retail store in Ft. Worth, Texas to stock their tackle boxes for the 2011 BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship.
As host of College Fishing Day, Cabela’s rolled out the red carpet for the student anglers who, in many cases, traveled from great distances to attend in the event. In addition to providing each two person team in attendance a $100 Cabela’s gift card, professional bass anglers Jeff Kriet, Clark Wendlandt, Mike McClelland, Ish Monroe, Takahiro Amori, Michael Murphy and Wade Middleton were on site to provide instructional seminars and shopping assistance.
The next day, at pre-tournament banquet, after receiving product samples and information provided by sponsors of the event, the collegiate anglers representing universities throughout the nation enjoyed a nice meal at the Hilton Garden Inn & Suites in Lewisville, Texas.

When bass fishing icon, Hank Parker, took the stage, he captured and kept the undivided attention of everyone in the room with his interesting and entertaining speech. He also stayed following the event to sign autographs take pictures and visit with the anglers one-on one.

On day one, the team weighed in 3 fish that weighed 5.70 lbs that landed them in 54th spot out of 144. On the second day, the team brought in 4 fish that weighed 10.67 lbs, making their tournament total weight 16.37 lbs. That weight landed them the final spot of 19th place out of an astounding 144 teams, collegiate teams that is! “It was a great feeling to get to go up against all the great anglers in the field alone and an even better feeling to be able to get such a high finish,” the team stated. If the team had to pick out one thing that they did or one piece of advice that made a big difference in this tournament, it was one that TBF National Youth Director Mark Gintert gave them, “Don’t leave fish to find fish.”

Ethan Snyder was weighing in fish on the day he should’ve been attending his high school graduation. His family brought his graduation cap to wear on stage.

The team was also awarded a special award named the Bill Ormand ‘Never Stop Fishing’ Award named after collegiate angler Jake Ormand’s grandfather.

Congratulations to this team, you have made the Student Angler Federation very proud serving as the first ever High School Fishing World Finals Champions. TBF is very proud of you and proud to have you as members of our organization.

Staff