Giella and Battle win Anderson Open

While Compton and Bond Claim South Carolina State Championship

With the cold, wet and generally nasty weather finally taking a break over the South Carolina skies, two teams emerged as champions of the TBF/FLW High School Open event on scenic Lake Russell.

Connor Giella and Zach Battle of Augusta Georgia tied with Laurens High School’s George Compton and Hunter Bond with identical 4 fish bags that weighed 9lbs 9oz. Since both teams brought in identical bags with all the fish alive, that led to the third tiebreaker, which is the earliest registration date for the event. Fortunately for Giella and Battle their team mom was a little quicker in getting them signed which led them to the overall championship. Both of these teams shared the Booyah Big Bag award that goes to the largest sack of fish each day at the tournament.

Compton and Bond didn’t complain too much since they won the crown they were really looking for which was the South Carolina State Championship which went to the highest finishing team from south Carolina. Finishing third overall and second in the South Carolina Championship portion of the event was the team of Levi Neave and Stephen Brooks who brought in two Lake Russell bass that weighed 8lbs to claim the South Carolina runner-up spot and a regional qualifying berth in the Southeastern Conference Regional event in September. Neave and Brooks actually tied Compton and Bond for the Lew’s Big Bass award as each team caught beautiful 4lb 13oz fish to share the Lew’s gift bag. Continue reading

Marshall County Wins Froggyland Classic Open on KY Lake

Calloway County High School hosted its annual Froggyland Classic High School Open on March 1, 2014, out of Fenton access ramp on Kentucky Lake.  The pre-spawn bite of March on the ‘Big K’ can get downright ugly and has produced multiple hefty tournament stringers over the past few years, but the brutal winter experienced across the southeast has water temperatures remaining in the mid-40s- and bass a little sluggish.  Despite what most locals would consider a tough KY Lake bite, the Marshall County High School sophomore duo of Flint Lovett and Colton Story brought 14 lbs, 15 oz., to the scales for their first high school open win.  Lovett and Story primarily fished lipless crankbaits along lead in banks in 6 to 10 feet of water to bag their winning catch.  The 2014 high school fishing season is in full swing in the state of Kentucky as anglers vie for a spot in their respective Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) regional tournament – and ultimately a shot at being crowned Kentucky’s second ever state champions at the KHSAA State Tournament on April 25-26, 2014, out of Kentucky Dam Marina in Gilbertsville, KY.

– Luke Anderson

Coach, MC Fishing Team Coach

Marshall County High School

Benton, KY

Jake Read and Taylor Thomas from Vista Ridge High School win the first FAN High School Fishing Series event on Lake Travis, 

Presented by Brad Marshall Homes and Designer Pools & Outdoor Living.

With much anticipation and excitement 36 teams representing 7 High School Bass Fishing Clubs and over 30 area middle and High Schools ascended on the beautiful shores of West Beach Marina on Lake Travis early Saturday morning, where anglers and their captains would be greeted with unseasonable warm 53 degrees, a light southern breeze, and a cheerful FAN staff to check them in and hand them their membership bag including a FAN High School decal, t-shirt, Academy hand towel, and bag of HAVOC Pit Boss baits.

After the brief announcements, prayer, and national anthem, the teams were released by boat number to test their skills amongst the 72 other anglers.

The weather would change during the morning from a thick layer of fog and drizzle to a summer like afternoon of 81 degrees and a moderate southern breeze snapping at 12mph as family and friends made their way to the 2PM weigh in dressed in team colors to cheer on their High School Bass Teams.

As the 2PM check in drew near, teams slowly made their way to the holding tanks and FAN stage to show off the results of their day on the water and the FAN staff and volunteers captured photos of their catch.

As in any bass fishing tournament anglers would be confronted with many challenges and not everyone would catch the 5 fish limit that was ultimately needed to win this event, however several teams did manage to dissect the conditions to do just that.

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