Pearson & Wall of St. Mary’s School Wins Oregon State Championship

Colby Pearson and Jacob Wall of St mary's School Southern Oregon

April 30, 2011, Columbia River, OR – Student anglers from across the state of Oregon converged in Hood River, Oregon for the inaugural Oregon High School Bass Fishing Championship presented by The Bass Federation’s Student Angler Federation and TBF of Oregon www.tbforegon.com

Each team had a mentor / coach helping them locate fish on the Columbia River. Students were fishing as teams and were allowed to weigh in the best 5 bass limit they could catch throughout the day.

The anglers faced high winds today in the gorge and all teams managed to bring fish to the scales. Winners of the event was the team of Jacob Wall and Colby Pearson  from southern Oregon fishing for St. Mary’s School weighing in a 5 bass limit for 14 pounds 5 ounces. 2nd place was the team of Brandon Benedict and Wyatt Sebright of Thurston High School with a 5 fish limit weighing in at 12 pounds 7 ounces. Rounding out the 3rd place was the team of Josh Abernathy and Nick Chin fishing for Estacada High School with two fish weighing in at 4 pounds 3 ounces.

The state champions will also advance to an FLW Outdoors/TBF High School Fishing Regional Championship held in conjunction with a National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championship hosted on a college campus this fall. They will receive travel allowances to help offset expenses and use of a Ranger boat for the event. The winners from each regional will advance to the FLW Outdoors/TBF High School Fishing National Championship held on a college campus in conjunction with the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship in the spring of 2012. National Champions will each receive a $5,000 scholarship to use at the university of their choice.

Each team that competed is now qualified to enter the 2011 High School Fishing World Finals held in July in Russellville, Ark., with no entry fees. Information on this prestigious event can be found online at www.highschoolfishing.org. Also, every team completed the free online quiz to become a Certified Student Angler regarding boater safety, invasive species and angler ethics. Each angler was given a completion certificate and a sticker to display, that made them eligible for contingency awards. Visit www.highschoolfishing.org, for more information and to find a High School State Championship near you.