Advisory for Tuesday, April 22, 2014
WHAT:
The Bass Federation (TBF) and FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, have partnered to present the 2014 Georgia State High School Fishing Championship. The tournament will take place on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Ga., and is open to any High School Fishing team in the entire state of Georgia. The 2014 schedule represents a major expansion of High School Fishing by FLW and The Bass Federation due to an increased demand.

WHEN:
Saturday, May 3, 2014

WHERE:
Georgia State High School Fishing Championship
Lake Lanier
Laurel Park
3100 Old Cleveland Highway
Gainesville, Ga.

NOTES:           
The Georgia state 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. Takeoff will be in the morning, at first safe light and weigh-in will be held at 3 p.m. Both takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public. For more information about this event contact the TBF National Youth Director Mark Gintert at (580) 716-4251 or (330) 993-0014.

A preliminary list of schools participating will not be available as teams can still register up until the morning of the event.

The top 10 percent from each TBF/FLW state championship field will advance to a High School Fishing conference championship along with the top 3 teams from each of the six 2014 High School Fishing Opens that coincide with the 2014 Walmart FLW Tour. The top 10 percent of each conference championship field will then advance to the High School Fishing National Championship, coinciding with the TBF National Championship and an FLW Tour stop in the spring of 2015. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.

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.

ABOUT FLW
FLW is the industry’s premier tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2014 over the course of 229 tournaments across five tournament circuits, four of which provide an avenue to the sport’s richest payday and most coveted championship trophy – the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world. For more information about FLW visit FLWOutdoors.com and look for FLW on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube.

FLWOutdoors.com

Mark Gintert, Tournament Director
580.716.4251 cell or 330.993.0014 cell
mark@bassfederation.com

Competition Waters:

• Kentucky Lake
  

Practice:

• Competition waters are open for practice until 5 p.m. April 24.
• The purchasing of, or bartering for, information or the hiring of fishing guide services will not be permitted after April 9.

Boat Operation:

• Contestants are not permitted to drive the boat when the combustion engine is in operation. Each boat will be driven by a coach or volunteer driver. Contestants may operate the trolling motor. Coaches and volunteers may provide assistance, including information about locating and catching fish, but are not permitted to fish.

Catch & Size Limit:

• Five bass per team, minimum 12-inches on spotted bass and 15-inches on largemouth and smallmouth bass.

License Requirement:

• A Kentucky fishing license is required. Click here to purchase.

Items Supplied by FLW:

• Weigh-in bag

Maps:

• Click here for an interactive map showing takeoff and weigh-in locations, registration, housing and boundaries.

Format:

• The qualifying teams from each of four 2014 KHSAA Bass Fishing Regionals are invited to compete. The 2014 KHSAA Bass Fishing Champions are determined by the heaviest weight for a maximum of five bass. The winning team will be named State Champions.

Takeoff and Weigh In:

• Kentucky Dam Marina
  466 Marina Dr
  Gilbertsville, KY

Registration:

• Curris Center Theatre
  3rd floor of the Curris Center
  314 Curris Center
  Murray, KY 42071

Host:

• Murray State University

Items to Bring:

• A boat
• Personal floatation device
• Valid student ID
• Valid Kentucky fishing license
• Sunscreen & sunglasses
• Rods and reels
• Line cutters & needle-nose pliers
• Lures & tackle
• Rainsuit
• Jersey or shirt representing your school

Schedule:                                 *Please note all times listed are Central Standard Time

• Thursday, April 24     

–       5:00 p.m.               All High School teams must be off the water

–        6:30 – 7:30 p.m.    Registration on the 3^rd floor of the Curris Center

–        7:30 p.m.               Rules Meeting

• Friday, April 25

–        6:30 a.m.               High School Fishing teams report to Kentucky Dam Marina.

–        7:00 a.m.               High School Fishing Takeoff at Kentucky Dam Marina.

–        3:00 p.m.               High School Fishing Check-in at Kentucky Dam Marina.

• Saturday, April 26    

–        6:30 a.m.               High School Fishing teams report to Kentucky Dam Marina.

–        7:00 a.m.               High School Fishing Takeoff at Kentucky Dam Marina.

–        3:00 p.m.               High School Fishing Check-in at Kentucky Dam Marina.

Rules:

• KHSAA, the Student Angler Federation and FLW expect strict adherence to the following rules by all contestants. KHSAA, SAF and FLW also recommend the use of nonpuncturing culling clips for marking fish and livewell additives like Rejuvenade to help promote the healthy release of bass. In the event of an emergency, please call 911 first and then notify the tournament director.

2014 KHSAA Bass Fishing State Championship Rules

By Patty Lenderman

Get outta my seat!  That seemed to be the theme chant at the final qualifying round of the Southeast Texas High School Association tournament on Sam Rayburn April 13, 2014.  With over 30 schools represented in a tournament average participation per event of 240 teams, the competition was fierce for individual and school representation.  Several teams got to sit in the hot seats as leaders of the tournament, only to be told “Get outta my seat!” by others who caught more weight in bass.  In the end, it was Lumberton’s Bailey Bridges & Tyler Ford who won the final qualifying tournament with over 19 lbs.

Each team is paired with a boat captain who runs the boat for them throughout the day.  Fishing conditions were optimum, with overcast skies and temperatures that rose from the upper 60’s to mid 70’s.  By mid afternoon, the wind started picking up as impending storms headed their way.  Scads of volunteers were at every station from parking to weigh in to coordinate a smooth weigh in.  John Salamone kept everyone entertained with his on stage antics while Ray Beck tallied each sack.

Kade Morgan and Brandon Payne of Silsbee were the first to occupy the Gopher Hot Seats with their weight of 13.49 lbs.  They were knocked out by Colton Sonnier & Cayson Beal of Kountze having a 16.12 lb limit.  Weights continued to climb, as they had to give up their seats to the Corrigan Camden team of Wyatt Frankens and Clay Nash having 18.13 lbs.  Nash and Frankens heard the final orders to get out of those seats when Bailey Bridges and Tyler Ford of Lumberton High School came in with their 19.20 lb limit to win the event. Continue reading