Virginia HS Anglers Blanks and Roberts Win Northern Regional, Advance to National Championship

Jerry Roberts, Ringgold, Va., and Tanner Blanks, South Boston, Va., from George Washington High won the High School Northern Regional tournament held on Sayers Lake Saturday, Sept. 3.

September 3, 2011 – Jerry Roberts, Ringgold, Va.,  and Tanner Blanks, South Boston, Va., from George Washington High won the High School Northern Regional tournament held on Sayers Lake Saturday, Sept. 3. TBF along with FLW Outdoors held the high school tournament in conjunction with the FLW College Fishing Northern Regional.

The team representing the state of Virginia had four bass weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces to beat Chariho Regional High School by 4 pounds, 9 ounces. The winning team will advance to the 2012 High School Fishing National Championship for a chance to win a $10,000 scholarship ($5,000 to each team member).

“We had a pretty tough day,” said Blanks. “We really had to take our time and fish real deep. We were fishing between 10 and 25 feet using black flake and green pumpkin wacky Senkos and drop -shotting. “This feels real good,” Blanks added.

“I want to for sure go to a school that has a bass fishing club, hopefully Virginia Tech,” said Roberts. “This is so cool. Continue reading

Wisconsin & Iowa State Champions Crowned – Advance to Regional in Illinois

Wisconsin State Champs

The Bass Federation (TBF), in partnership with FLW Outdoors, and the Wisconsin Bass Federation, hosted the inaugural Student Angler Federation Wisconsin and Iowa High School Fishing State Championship Saturday, August 27 on the Mississippi River at St. Feriole Island Marina Boat Launch, in Prairie du Chien, Wisc.  The state championship was a two person team event for students in grades 9-12. Several teams came to compete to be named the first ever high school fishing state champions of their states.

Registration was held Friday evening at Cabela’s in Prairie du Chien. Guest speaker Dr. Phil Moy of the Wisconsin Sea Grant Project talked to the high school anglers and boat captains about fisheries and invasive species prevention.

With the river conditions changing dramatically, having dropped five feet in the last two weeks fishing was tough. But beating the tough bite, Kyler Chelminiak of Whitnall High School and Nicholas Peterson of Lakeland High School brought in a limit of bass that weighed 13.23 lbs to be named the

Iowa State Champs

Wisconsin High School Fishing State Champions. Kyler and Nicholas were also the highest finishing Certified Student Angler team and were awarded with a bag of fishing equipment from the Wisconsin Bass Federation. The team also caught the big bass, which awarded them a Rod and Reel combo that was donated by Cabela’s of Prairie du Chien. The state champs  started morning fishing zara spooks in balls of shad that the bass were feeding on, then fished Lilly pads and duckweed with Mann’s Super Frogs and Frankentoads. Kyle was the 2009 WI Bass Federation junior state champion and is currently the 2011 WBF junior champion. “I would like to thank his sponsors – Mann’s Bait Company, Uncle Josh, Ironclads, Brovarney Baits, Denali Rods and the Spring Lake Inn,” Kyler stated. This was Nicholas first ever fishing tournament. Continue reading

Galloway & Easly of Houlka, Mississippi Crowned State Champs

The Bass Federation (TBF), in partnership with FLW Outdoors, and the Mississippi Bass Federation hosted the inaugural Student Angler Federation Mississippi High School Fishing State Championship, August 27 at the Stennis East Bank Lock and Dam Recreation Area in Columbus, Miss. The state championship was a two person team event for students in grades 9-12.

The fishing appeared to be tough, but a state champion was crowned. First Place went to the team from Houlka Attendance Academy – Blake Galloway and Dillon Easly of  Houlka, MS who weighed in just 5.50 lbs. It was enough to take the championship. Second Place went to Cy Gatwood and Blake Lee of Stone High School with 4.26lbs. Third Place was awarded to Garrett Riles, Potts Camp Ms and Ty Jobe, Lewisburg, Ms of Potts Camp with 3.30lbs. Continue reading