May 5, 2012 – With 16 teams in the 49 boat field catching a limit of fish, the High School Anglers in the state of Kentucky showed the world why they are some of the best anglers in the country on legendary Kentucky Lake.
When storm clouds that cluttered the morning finally lifted, the team of Ian Heskett and Chaz Lucas from the hometown Murray Tigers brought a huge 5 bass limit weighing 21 lbs to win the 2012 Kentucky SAF High School State Bass Fishing Championship at Kenlake Marina just outside of Murray, Kentucky.
“We fished deep most of the day using a football head jig and crank baits,” stated Ian Heskett who anchored the nice bag with a kicker that tipped in at 6 lbs 9oz. “We had a limit by 8:30 am and then culled 7 or 8 times to keep improving our weight throughout the day,” added Heskett. “When I caught that big one, we kind of went crazy for a few minutes, but then we calmed down and got back to work,” added the senior who plans on fishing for the Murray State College Fishing team next year. His partner Chaz Lucas, also a senior, added that the pair has spent a lot of time on the water this spring preparing for this event. “I played baseball since I was in 8th grade,” explained Heskett, “but this year I wanted to concentrate on fishing so I would be ready fish with the Murray State team next year. I think it paid off today!” Murray State was also the title sponsor for the event so it was only fitting that one of their potential new anglers set the stage for the day.
Finishing 2nd was the tandem team of Hunter Smith and Anthony Wilson from Nelson County High School, who also had a great five fish bag that weighed in at 17lbs 15ozs.
In 3rd was the Meade County duo of Tyler Stull and Stephen Compton who also had a fine 5 bass limit that scaled in at 16lbs 7oz. Stephen Compton was the reigning 2011 Kentucky State Champion with last year’s partner Donovan Jones. Compton also finished 6th 
place in the 2011 High School Fishing World Finals in Russellville, AR with partner Curt Lindsey.
The two Murray seniors are also excited about advancing on to the High School Fishing Conference Championship, which will take place this fall in conjunction with the FLW College Conference Championship series. If they win and advance from there, they will then have a chance at $5,000 in scholarship in the 2013 High School Fishing National Championship.
COMPLETE STANDINGS
The SAF High School Championship series moves to Little Rock Arkansas next weekend for the Arkansas State SAF championship being held in downtown little Rock on the Arkansas River, as well as state championships in Tennessee and Idaho.
For information on how to join the new and exciting sport of high school bass fishing, visit www.HighSchoolFishing.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hsfishing or follow us on Twitter @hs_fishing.
