The 2024 Mississippi high school state championship on Lake Ross Barnett sponsored by ExploreRidgeland/Ridgeland, MS got off to slow start with an hour and a half fog delay. However, that did not slow down the winning team of Carter Townsend and Jameson Rayner. Carter and Jameson weighed in an impressive Crush City five live bag of fish at 20 pounds 10 ounces. Townsend and Rayner also won the Lew’s Big Bass award at 8 pounds 15 ounces winning them a set of Lew’s reels from our sponsor Lew’s and Strike King.

Second place, with a Rapala Crushing Conservation five live fish, went to the D’Iberville Warriors team of Ryker Reed and Cooper Rouse. They weighed in a five fish limit with 15 pounds 12 ounces.

Coming in with 14 pounds and 8 ounces for third place was William Morgan and Landen Wheat from Petal High School.

Rounding out the field in fourth place was Brody Barnett and Carson Henderson with 12 pounds and 12 ounces. All of the top four teams have secured a spot to the 15^th Annual High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship. The 15^th Annual World Finals and National Championship will be held June 19-22, 2024 on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. Don’t forget to get registered on-line at www.highschoolfishing.org

The Student Angler Federation would like to thank Explore Ridgeland and all the volunteers that helped make this a great event for the anglers. For full results and photos of this event CLICK HERE

For the first time in a couple of years we were able to get the Georgia SAF High School State Championship in without any rain.  We had a beautiful morning for the take-off and the first half of the day was calm as glass.  However, that changed as the noon hour approached and the winds showed up in force.  Some teams reported that the winds made the fish bite better, while other teams said the bite slowed down as soon as the wind started blowing.  Either way we had a great event with over one hundred High School teams participating and most of them all weighed in fish.

The Adairsville team of William Altizer and Kasin West bested the field to claim the victory with a limit that weighed 17-03 pounds.  Finishing in second place was Caden O’Neal and Matthew Wright with 14-13 pounds.  Third place belonged to the South Forsyth War Eagle team of Reese Mutter and Charles Roberts with a nice limit of 13-15 pounds.  Rounding out the top five teams were Owen Wiggins and Bill Gaines with 13-11 pounds and the Newnan Cougar team of Gage Smith and Tayson Harrison with 12-14 pounds.

The Lew’s Big Bass award also went to the winners, William Altizer and Kadin West for their 5-08 lunker largemouth.  They each received a Lew’s Reel for their efforts.

West Point Lake seemed to fish pretty well as 73 of the 103 teams weighed in at least one fish.  The most popular method of catching them seemed to be fishing off-shore in about 8-15 feet of water.  Ned Rigs, Drop Shots and Carolina Rigs were the popular choices on places like long sloping points and channel swings that ran up close to the banks.  Other teams caught fish on crawfish-colored crankbaits, jerkbaits, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits.

For full tournament results and pictures CLICK HERE.

Taking home the win with the Regional Championship title and trophy was Sterlington High Panthers team of Landon Coburn partnered with Nathanael Holtzclaw. The team had 18 pounds 12 ounces securing the top spot headed to the LHSAA Bass Fishing State Finals this March on Toledo Bend.

Negreet High School Indians secures the Region #1 Runners Up trophy with anglers Jackson Gore and Mattox Leslie having a 12 pound and 03 ounce with a respectable 2nd place finish.

From the LHSAA Region #1 Open Qualifier, the Top 20 teams from all over the state of LA will advance to the LHSAA High School Bass Fishing State Finals March 21-22, 2024 on Toledo Bend launching from San Miguel Park.

The second LA LHSAA Region #2 Open Qualifier is scheduled for March 10, 2024 launching From San Miguel Park on Toledo Bend this tournament is Open to all LHSAA Member schools. Sign up today and secure your Schools spot at the LHSAA Bass Fishing State Finals.