Johnston and Cosenza win State Championship on D’Arbonne Lake

The 2023 Louisiana was held March 19th on Lake D’Arbonne in Farmerville, LA. Cooler temps and north winds created a tough day for the anglers. Caleb Johnston and Colin Cosenza, from Many High School, won the tournament with a five fish limit weighing 13 pounds 13 ounces. Landin Chatham and Jessie Parker claimed 2nd place with 13 pounds 8 ounces. Landin and Jessie also won Big Bass honors earning them each a Lew’s reel. Jessie caught the Big Bass that weighed 6 pounds 11 ounces. In 3rd place, Eddie Hyatt and Maddox Williams, with Lakeside Warriors, also had 13 pounds 8 ounces. Kyle Jones and Levi Robinson, Parkway High School, took 4th place with 12 pounds 5 ounces and in 5th place from Choudrant High School was Peyton Bennett and Brayden Pye.

The top seven teams from this tournament will advance to the 14th Annual High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship in LaCrosse, WI this June.  For full results and more photos from the LA high school State Championship CLICK HERE

The Student Angler Federation would like to give a huge shout out to Mayor John Crow and team from the City of Farmerville for a great show of support and making this a great event for the high school anglers. We also want to thank Big Star Grocery and Goldman Marine for their support at this event.

 

Reed and Rouse win State Championship title in Moss Point, Mississippi

The 2023 MS High School State Championship was held early March on the Pascagoula River System in Moss Point, MS. The day started with fair skies and a light breeze with rapid changing water temps. The anglers struggles a bit to get those five needed bites.

At the end of the day, Ryker Reed and Cooper Rouse with D’Iberbille High School brought in a limit of fish weighing 10 pounds 6 ounces, winning the State Championship. The Vancleave team of David Robinson and Parker Strickland came in 2nd place with 9 pounds 7 ounces. Joseph Stingley and Austin Craft took 3rd place with 8 pounds 12 ounces. Joseph and Austin also claimed the daily Big Bass prize with a fish weighing 3 pounds 13 ounces and both received a Lew’s reel. Rounding out the top four, Joel and Trevor Hyatt from George County High School had a limit that weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces.

These top four teams will advance to the 14th Annual High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship this June in LaCrosse, Wisconsin on the Mississippi River. For full results and more photos CLICK HERE.

The Student Angler Federation would like to thank Mayor Billy Knight for taking the time to speak with the teams, and the City of Moss Point, including Ms. Donna Joseph and the Parks and Recreation Department team for allowing us to use their outstanding riverfront site and facility amenities. We also want to thank Sue Wright with Moss Point Main Street Association for all her efforts in making this a great event for the student anglers.

FISHERY MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ANNOUNCED BY BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME

FISHERY MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ANNOUNCED BY BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Making sure the many lakes and reservoirs in the U.S. and Canada where anglers pursue bass are healthy and vibrant relies a great deal on the efforts from federal, state, and provincial fishery management professionals. To assure those efforts are supported, and to provide financial resources for high school and college bass anglers looking to pursue careers in the fishery management field, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Board is instituting a college scholarship program for students seeking a degree in a natural resource field with an end goal of becoming a practicing fishery manager.

Up to $15,000 will be awarded in July 2023 to the selected applicants. Applications for the scholarship are now being accepted at https://www.bassfishinghof.com/scholarship.

               “Within many fishery management agencies, there is a definitive need to fill vacant positions with qualified individuals who understand and have a passion for both the sport of bass fishing and the science needed to manage those fisheries,” said BFHOF Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “Spearheaded by Gene Gilliland, Casey Shedd, and our Conservation Committee, this new scholarship program fits in ideally with the Hall’s mission of celebrating, promoting, and preserving the sport by supporting those whose future career path will focus on healthy fisheries, needed access, and clean rivers, lakes and reservoirs.”

               Gilliland notes that scholarship applicants must be a high school senior who has committed to enroll or be an undergraduate and graduate student currently enrolled in a four-year college, university, or accredited graduate program. They must declare or have declared a major in biology, aquatic ecology, fisheries, marine science, or a closely related natural resources field. “We’re also asking every applicant to submit a short essay explaining their goals for a career in natural resources and to describe their dream agency job, along with proof of membership in a recognized bass fishing organization or provide a copy of a valid fishing license,” said Gilliland.

               The BFHOF Fishery Management Scholarship Program form outlines all the application requirements. Gilliland also mentioned all applications will be reviewed by an independent panel that includes individuals involved in fishery management issues in both the U.S. and Canada, including Phil Morlock, Director of Government Affairs with the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association; Chris Horton, Senior Director of Fisheries Policy with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation; Ross Self, Chief of Inland Fisheries for the South Carolina DNR; and Dr. Mark Rogers, Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit Leader at Tennessee Tech University.  

The application deadline is May 31, 2023 and the scholarship winners are notified by early July. For student financial aid requirements, the monetary award from the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is considered a stipend for use by the student for any school-related expenses.

               For more information on the BFHOF Fishery Management Scholarship program, visit https://www.bassfishinghof.com/scholarship

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