Greater than 200 of those fishermen confronted off in South Carolina final week to compete within the 2024 Bassmaster School Nationwide Championship on Lake Hartwell. The sphere of 130 two-man groups (a number of fished solo) was whittled all the way down to 12 groups by Saturday, the third and closing day of the event, with every group competing for the heaviest mixed baggage of 5 bass. Garrett Smith and Andrew Blanton of Lander College got here from behind to take first place at that occasion and produce house the varsity’s first nationwide championship trophy.
Smith and Blanton, each of whom grew up inside a number of hours of Lake Hartwell, gained the event by sticking to shallower areas of the lake, particularly across the Tugaloo River. They targeted on bream beds, concentrating on massive bass that have been searching in packs, and — with clear skies overhead — by no means as soon as turned on their forward-facing sonar. The 2 Lander anglers caught with this technique and climbed from twenty second to 3rd place on the second day to make the ultimate reduce on Sunday, after they weighed the heaviest bag of the entire occasion.
We sat down with Smith and Blanton for this week’s podcast episode, they usually shared a few of the techniques (and mishaps) behind their massive win on Hartwell. We additionally talked in regards to the journey these two children have been on, what their faculty expertise has been like, and why anybody who desires to see the place this sport is headed ought to take a look at the school leagues.
Over the previous few months, we’ve gotten an up-close have a look at this uber-competitive world by following the Bassmaster School Collection. This spring I lined a qualifying event on Kentucky Lake, the place 216 two-man groups competed for an opportunity to fish the Nationwide Championship and work their approach up within the Workforce of the 12 months rankings. Since then, I’ve spoken with coaches, event organizers, and present scholar anglers, together with professional angler John Garrett, who gained his first Elite Collection event this 12 months after making a reputation for himself on the school circuit.
Photograph by Luke Stoner / B.A.S.S.
Garrett isn’t the one one to efficiently make the leap, both. Should you have a look at the Bassmaster Elite Collection, which is broadly thought of the very best degree of professional bass fishing, about two dozen of the 130 anglers are underneath the age of 30. Of these, 22 got here up by the school ranks, and there are lots extra on their approach.
Learn Subsequent: The Finest Bass Fishing in America Is Taking place on the School Circuit
“Once you discuss faculty fishing, you’re speaking about the most effective younger fishermen within the nation,” B.A.S.S. event supervisor Glenn Cale tells Outside Life. “These younger women and men are the longer term professionals that we’ll be watching on TV.”
Tune in to this week’s episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts to listen to extra from these two faculty champs who wish to go professional.