Anderson & Hammock Wins Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Early Bird Challenge on Clarks Hill

The Student Anglers Federation’s first High School event of the new calendar year was a huge success.  Seventy teams, from five different states, came out and participated in the Bass Pro Shops/ Cabela’s  Early Bird Challenge at Clarks Hill Lake in Georgia.  Like at SAF events, this event was a National Championship qualifying event, and the seven highest finishing teams qualified for that event while all 70 teams are eligible to enter the 11th annual High School Fishing World Finals now.

The Marietta Bass Master Team of Brooks Anderson and Avery Hammock took top honors and the BOOYAH Big Bag Award, with a solid limit that weighed 13-10.

Following them in second place was Andrew Alexander and Dalton Eury, from the North Carolina Student Anglers Federation, with 12-09 pounds.

 

Third place went to Tanner Hadden and Caleb Hudson from Greenbrier High School with 12-07 pounds.

 

Big Bass of the day received two Lew’s reels and went to the team of Andrew Alexander & Dalton Eury with a 5-11 lunker.

As the weigh in progressed, anglers reported catching their fish in a variety of ways on a variety of different baits from both deep and shallow waters.  Most of the better limits were caught out deep, from 20-40 feet of water on Carolina Rigs, Shakey Heads, and Sled Rigs.  Other limits were caught in shallow water around docks and rocky points and banks on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits and jigs.

For a full list of tournament results and photos from the Bass Pro Shops/ Cabelas Early Bird Challenge event check out our schedule and results page.

Seaguar® connects with Student Anglers

(January 7, 2020) –  We need more kids and young adults fishing. Those of us who have fished since our youth recognize the joy and fulfillment that accompanies time on the water. More than 80% of adult anglers report that their fishing experiences began as children, so if we want people to fish throughout their lives — and to care about fish, fishing, and the outdoors as adults — we need to start them young.

Organized fishing teams and leagues at the high school level are helping to bolster participation by teenagers and young adults, and that’s a good thing – for those participants as individuals, and for the future of fishing as a whole. A pivotal organization in the national youth fishing movement is The Student Angler Federation (SAF), founded in 2007 by The Bass Federation (TBF). In 2019, the Student Angler Federation hosted 63 high school-level events, including the 10th Annual High School Fishing World Finals that featured 405 registered teams from 38 states. The coming year of events promises to be bigger and better than ever.

The SAF’s High School Fishing Program works hard to eliminate barriers to participation in fishing and to recognize the accomplishments of their anglers. Indeed, every event on the High School Fishing tournament schedule has NO entry fees for participants, and last year, the prize pool of scholarships awarded to student anglers was a staggering $2.8 million! Beyond an extraordinary experience for all of its participants, the SAF’s National High School Fishing Program positions young adults for success — both on and off the water.

Seaguar, the originators of fluorocarbon fishing line, is proud to announce its partnership with the Student Angler Federation in support of the National High School Fishing Program for 2020. By connecting avid student anglers with the best 100% fluorocarbon lines and leaders and braided main lines available, Seaguar will help them to meet their lofty goals in the boat, in the classroom, and in the community.

Kelly Gohman, the Student Angler Federation VP for Sales and Marketing, notes that, “The High School Fishing Program is the best-kept secret in the entire world of competitive fishing. We pride ourselves in providing the best tournament experiences possible, from the pre-event meetings to the final weigh-ins, so that we can attract and retain enthusiastic young anglers and provide them with the opportunity to enjoy the sport of fishing throughout their lives.”

“We are excited to welcome Seaguar to our family of partners for 2020,” continued Gohman, “so that all of our anglers can experience the difference that Seaguar lines and leaders can make in their fishing — whether in a tournament or just out for fun with family and friends.”

One benefit that student anglers can access immediately is the exclusive Seaguar High School VIP program. Team coaches of any Student Angler Federation club can register for the program online, and then purchase any Seaguar line, leader, or branded apparel for their young anglers at a substantial discount. Now, student anglers can spool up with Seaguar 100% fluorocarbon and braided lines more easily than ever before.

Gerry Benedicto, Seaguar General Manager, reflects that, “no matter where we fish or what we’re fishing for, we all measure the success of a trip by the number and size of the fish we catch. 100% Seaguar fluorocarbon leaders and premium braided lines can have an immediate positive impact on success by helping anglers to catch more and bigger fish. Seaguar is excited to partner with the Student Angler Federation for 2020, so that young anglers across the country can experience the difference that Seaguar lines and leaders can make in their tournament success.”

“We know that we’re going to see Seaguar anglers carry heavyweight sacks of bass across weigh-in stages in 2020,” continued Benedicto, “but more importantly, we’re also going to witness the thrill of victory and the joy of fishing on scores of young faces, thanks to the efforts of the Student Angler Federation.”

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The positive impact that organized youth fishing has on anglers, both on and off the water, is undeniable. Hunter Sales, Coach of the Carson-Newman University fishing team, asserts that, “competitive fishing is great for the development of students at all levels. Not only are they learning to become better anglers, but they are also learning valuable life lessons – especially how to work as a team. As these young anglers get older, and perhaps compete at the collegiate level or simply enjoy recreational fishing as an adult, their memories of traveling, competing, and fun days on the water with their friends will be priceless.”

“Terrific lines like Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon and Seaguar Smackdown braided line have put our anglers in position to catch some giant bass under challenging circumstances,” continued Sales. “and have helped us leap from 66th to 11th place in our overall team-of-the-year standings.” Those are positive results that any competitive angler — at the high school, collegiate, or professional levels — can easily appreciate!

We need to encourage more young adults to be involved in fishing. It’s good for our sport, it’s good for us, but above all, it’s good for them. Seaguar is proud to partner with the Student Angler Federation and the National High School Fishing Program to help increase young anglers’ access to the outdoors, and we anxiously await the parade of big bass and young Seaguar anglers across weigh-in stages in 2020. To learn more about the Seaguar Scholastic Program — Click HERE.

TBF Student Angler Federation (SAF) Announces 2020 High School State Championships and Sanctioned Fishing Schedule.

TBF Student Angler Federation (SAF) Announces 2020 High School State Championships and Sanctioned Fishing Schedule.

PONCA CITY, OK (Oct 9, 2019) – The Bass Federation’s Student Angler Federation (SAF) announced today the 2020 High School Fishing sanctioned schedule. Offering more opportunity than ever before including 48 SAF High School Fishing State Championships,  2 Open Challenge events, including the Bass Pro Shops/ Cabela’s Early Bird Open Challenge event, 13 state high school athletic association sanctioned tournaments, up to 15 Bass Pro shops FLW High School Fishing Opens (TBA by our partners in fishing at FLW) and the pinnacle event in all of high school fishing the 11th annual High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship. Available dates/locations are listed below and on the website at www.highschoolfishing.org .

In 2020 across all SAF sanctioned events, we expect more than 35,000 participants in the SAF High School Fishing program and just between the TBF and FLW major events there will be 76 tournaments in which to compete plus hundreds of other events through local SAF sanctioned trails.

“As the founders of the National High School fishing movement in 2007, we immediately seen reaction to getting young people outdoors and the rapid growth potential with parents embracing the concept nationwide at our first High School Fishing World Finals in 2010. We are proud to have had our partners in fishing at FLW be the very first to join us in the High School arena. Together in 2011, we rolled out events in every state and Canada to provide more fishing opportunities for more high school students than anyone else in the world,” said TBF President Robert Cartlidge. “For us High School fishing was and is not about fishing for money, which is why TBF/SAF nor FLW charges any entry fees at our High School events and we do not pay cash to student anglers.  It is also not about getting students sponsorships or patches on their jerseys.  The core mission is about education through fishing, earning prizes and scholarships and getting young people into the outdoors.  We will continue to jointly push the programs forward to accomplish those goals.”

TBF/SAF and FLW will continue advancement opportunities with 1 in 10 teams from each TBF and/or FLW State Championship, Challenge or Open event earning a spot in the National Championship and ALL SAF members world-wide are eligible to compete in the High School Fishing World Finals where in 2019 High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship offered a record $2.8 Million in College scholarship and prizes up for grabs giving the maximum amount student anglers the best shot ever for a college scholarship, technical or trade school education.

Additionally, High School anglers who win a SAF state championship and are 16 years old or older(one or both team members) will be offered a High School TBF Living The Dream package, a TBF sponsorship for a year to include: fully paid ADULT TBF\FLW competitor membership, advancement opportunity to represent their home state in a TBF National Semi-Finals as a co-angler, with fully paid entry fees! From there, the sky is the limit, they could qualify for the TBF Federation National Championship or beyond!  Check it all out at HighSchoolFishing.org.

2020 11th Annual High School World Finals / National Championship:

June 23-27         Upper Mississippi River                                                                                      LaCrosse, WI.

2021 12th Annual High School World Finals / National Championship:

June TBA           Lake Hartwell                                                                                                    Anderson, SC.

2020 Season SAF High School Fishing State Championships:

Nov. 23, 2019     Utah State Championship – Sand Hollow                                                            Hurricane, UT

Feb. 1, 2020       Florida State Championship – Harris Chain                                                         Tavares, FL

Feb. 1                Texas State Championship – Lake O the Pines                                                   Marshall, TX

Feb. 16              Louisiana State Championship – Toledo Bend                                                     Many, LA

Feb. 22              South Carolina State Championship – Lake Hartwell                                           Anderson, SC

March 1              Georgia State Championship – Lake Lanier                                                         Gainesville, GA

March 8              Arkansas State Championship – Lake Dardanelle                                                Russellville, AR

March 21            North Carolina State Championship – High Rock Lake                                          Salisbury, NC

March 22            Nevada State Championship – Lake Mead                                                          Boulder City, NV

March 28            Kentucky State Championship – Lake Cumberland                                              Burnside, KY

March 29            Mississippi State Championship – Lake Ross Barnett                                          Jackson, MS

March 21            Washington State Championship – Lake Washington                                          Renton, WA

April 4                Virginia State Championship – Lake Gaston                                                        Bracy, VA

April 5                Alabama State Championship – Neely Henry                                                      Gadsden, AL

April 11              Tennessee State Championship – Lake Chickamauga                                         Dayton, TN

April 25              Arizona State Championship –  Lake Havasu                                                        Havasu City, AZ

April 25             Kansas State Championship – Lake Melvern                                                            Osage City, KS

May 2                 Oregon State Championship – Ten Mile Lake                                                      Lakeside, OR

May 2                 Ohio State Championship – Alum Creek State Park                                             Delaware, OH

May 3                 California State Championship – Cal Delta                                                          Oakley, CA

May 3                 Oklahoma State Championship – Grand Lake                                                     Grove, OK

May 3                 West Virginia State Championship – Sutton Lake                                                Sutton, WV

May 9                 Idaho State Championship – Lake Lowell                                                            Caldwell, ID

May 9                 Illinois State Championship – Rend Lake                                                               TBA

May 30               Indiana State Championship – Brookville Lake                                                    Brookville, IN

May 30               Tri State Championship (MA,RI,CT)  – Quaboag                                                  Brookfield, MA

June 6                Maine State Championship – Little Sebago Lake                                                 Windam Town, ME

June 6                Nebraska State Championship – Red Willow Reservoir                                       McCook, NE

Aug. 15             Wisconsin State Championship – Lake Waubefa                                                 Madison, WI

July 7                 Minnesota State Championship – Lake Minnetonka                                             Wayzata, MN

July 11               Ontario State Championship – Georgian Bay                                                      Waubaushene, ON

July 12               Quad State Championship (PA,DE,MD,NJ) – NE Rvr Upper Chesapeake                North East, MD

July 19               Vermont State Championship – Lake Champlain                                                 Colchester, VT

July 19               South Dakota State Championship – Enemy Swim Lake                                      Webster, SD

July 25               Michigan State Championship – Lake St Clair                                                     Harrison Township, MI

Sept. 12-13        New York State Championship – Great Sacandaga Lake                                     Northville, NY

Sept. 27             Colorado State Championship – Lake Pueblo                                                      Pueblo, CO

Oct. 4                 New Hampshire State Championship – Lake Winnipesaukee                               Alton, NH

 

 

2020 SAF High School Fishing Challenges\Open Events:

Jan. 25, 2020      Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Georgia Early Bird Challenge – Clarks Hill                             Evans, GA

Oct. 10               New Hampshire Open – Lake Champlain                                              Fort Ticonderoga, NY

 

2020 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Opens: (TBA)

 

2020 State Athletic Association Events: (Qualified teams only)

Feb. 29              GAPPS Qualifier – Lake Lanier                                       Gainesville, GA

March 7              LHSAA Reg 2 Regional Championship – Toledo Bend                                         Many, LA

March 14            LHSAA Reg 1 Regional Championship – Ouachita River                                     Monroe, LA

March 14            LHSAA Reg 3 Regional Championship – Atchafalaya Basin                                 Berwick, LA

March 14            LHSAA Reg 4 Regional Championship – Bayou Segnette                                    Westwego, LA

March 21            GAPPS Finals Championship – TBA                                                     TBA

March 28            MissHSAA Mississippi Activities Association – Lake Ross Barnett                          Jackson, MS

April 3-4             LHSAA State Finals – Cross Lake                                                                      Shreveport, LA

April 25              KHSAA Reg 1 Regional Championship – Lake Barkley                                        Kuttawa, KY

April 25              KHSAA Reg 2 Regional Championship – Lake Cumberland                                 Jamestown, KY

April 25              KHSAA Reg 3 Regional Championship – Green River Lake                                 Campbellsville, KY

April 25              KHSAA Reg 4 Regional Championship – Cave Run Lake                      Salt Lick, KY

May 8-9              KHSAA State Finals – Kentucky Lake                                                                 Calvert City, KY

 

GAPPS – Georgia Athletics Private Parochial School

LHSAA – Louisiana High School Athletics Association

MissHSAA – Mississippi High School Activities Association

KHSAA – Kentucky High School Athletics Association

 

Additional SAF events are being added for the latest events line up, visit HighSchoolFishing.org.

Complete rules are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and FLWFishing.com

Registration for the 2020 season state championships and challenge events Opens November 11, 2020 at HighSchoolFishing.org . For SAF High School Fishing State Championships, each team must compete in the state in which their school is located. Teams from all states can compete in a SAF challenge event or a FLW High School Fishing Open tournament. Entries for all State Championships, SAF Challenge events or State Athletic Association events should be made at HighSchoolFishing.org or by calling TBF at (580) 765-9031, entries for FLW Open HS events should be made at Flwfishing.com  or by call 272-252-1000. There is no limit to the number of teams accepted into a tournament from each school or club except per State Athletic Association rules and those events only.

All FLW and TBF High School Fishing tournaments are free to enter there is no event entry fees. The tournaments are two-person (team) events for students in grades 9-12 (one members of each team can be 7th or 8th) and open to any SAF-affiliated high school club.

About The Bass Federation

The Bass Federation Inc., (TBF) is a member of the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. TBF is owned by those we serve and dedicated to the sport of fishing. The Federation is the largest and oldest, organized grassroots fishing, youth and conservation organization there is. TBF, our affiliated state federations and their member clubs conduct more than 20,000 events each year and have provided a foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for more than 50 years. TBF founded the Student Angler Federation and the National High School Fishing program in 2007 to promote clean family fun and education through fishing and are proud partners in fishing with FLW. Visit bassfederation.com or highschoolfishing.org and “LIKE US” on Facebook.