PONCA CITY, Okla. (Apr. 16, 2012) – The Bass Federation (TBF), in partnership with FLW Outdoors, and the Colorado Bass Federation will host the 2012 Student Angler Federation (SAF) Colorado and New Mexico High School Fishing State Championship on Saturday, May 19, at Lake Pueblo launching out of the South Shore Marina Ramp in Lake Pueblo State Park near Pueblo, Co.
The championship is a two person team event for students in grades 9-12. Registration for anglers and their “coach,” who will provide the boat they compete in, is online at HighSchoolFishing.org. Check-in begins at 5pm MST on Friday, May 18, at the Pueblo State Park Visitors Center Auditorium in Pueblo, Co., with a mandatory rules briefing at 6pm MST. We highly encourage all teams to preregister online or by phone in advance to avoid late registration fees.
“The Colorado Bass Federation is absolutely thrilled to be a part of the growing movement to bring high school fishing to the forefront in this state,” Colorado TBF Youth Director, Sam Heckman, commented. “We want to invite every high school angler in both Colorado and New Mexico to participate and find out how much fun this is. Also, to learn how to get a school club started when they get back home to their local schools.”
Students and parents can go to HighSchoolFishing.org for details on the Student Angler Federation (SAF) and to sign up. Cost is only $25/ year and includes full TBF and FLW Outdoors benefits, including access to the all-new FLW Outdoors Magazine e-Edition and insurance coverage for students and their club. The winning two-person team from each state championship will advance to an FLW Outdoors/TBF High School Fishing Conference Championship held in conjunction with a National Guard FLW College Fishing Conference Championship. Those winners will advance to the FLW Outdoors/TBF High School Fishing National Championship held in conjunction with the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship in the spring of 2013. All SAF members and state championship participants qualify for the largest event in high school fishing, the 2012 High School Fishing World Finals to compete for thousands of dollars in college scholarships and prizes. Each team that qualifies for a conference and/or national championship will receive a travel allowance to help offset expenses. The National Champions will also each receive a $5,000 scholarship to use at the university of their choice.
If you’re not an SAF member, there’s a $25/per angler fee, which includes full TBF/FLW Outdoors membership benefits for the year, as well as, free entry to ALL SAF sanctioned events!
Another unique feature of an SAF sanctioned event is the “angler testing” component. Anglers can take a free online test at HighSchoolFishing.org about boater safety, conservation and angler ethics, which makes them eligible for contingency awards at their state championship. “It’s an industry first by TBF and a tremendous way to emphasize the importance of education to these student anglers,” SAF Program Manager, Alex Craw, commented. “The Federation is driven by our desire to promote education through fishing and the testing component is designed to do exactly that. We also offer all TBF/SAF members 11 free online training courses in our member’s only online store with Faculty of Fishing’s angler advantage program. Put this package together with all the programs our affiliated state federations like the Colorado TBF have to offer, and our partnership with FLW Outdoors, and the sky is the limit,” Craw continued. “These young anglers and their families have opportunities unlike anything the industry has ever seen.”
Event Details:
State Championship sign-up: PRE-REGISTER ONLINE at HighSchoolFishing.org. Boat numbers are determined by date registered. A $25 late registration fee applies to those registering at check-in. The best way is to pre-register online at highschoolfishing.org.
Mandatory Check-in: Friday, May 18, 5-6pm MST, at the Pueblo State Park Visitors Center Auditorium, 640 Pueblo Reservoir Road, Pueblo, CO, 81005; Mandatory rules briefing to follow at 6pm.
Takeoff & Weigh-in: Saturday, May 19, at the South Shore Marina Ramp on Lake Pueblo, 1 South Marina Road, Pueblo, CO, 81005. Takeoff and weigh-in times will be announced at the Mandatory rules briefing. Questions? alex@highschoolfishing.org or 580-765-9031
About FLW Outdoors
FLW Outdoors is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW Outdoors has taken fishing mainstream with the world’s richest fantasy sports game, FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk, where competitors can play for free, as well as, sign up for Player’s Advantage to gain an edge. For more information about FLW Outdoors and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com.
About The Bass Federation
The Bass Federation Inc., (TBF) is owned by those we serve and dedicated to the sport of fishing. TBF is the largest and oldest, organized grassroots fishing organization. TBF affiliated state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 fishing, youth and conservation events at the local level each year and have provided a foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for more than 40 years. Visit bassfederation.com.
