The North DeSoto High School duo of Luke Herring and Tyler Pate, both of Stonewall, Louisiana, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 24 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the 2017 TBF High School Fishing Louisiana State Championship tournament on Cross Lake in Shreveport, Louisiana. The win advanced the team to the 2017 High School Fishing National championship, held June 27-July 1 at Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama.
A field of 122 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from the American Legion Ramp in Shreveport. In FLW/TBF High School Fishing competition, the top 10-percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The top 12 teams on Cross Lake that advanced to the 2017 High School Fishing National Championship were:
1st: North DeSoto High School – Luke Herring and Tyler Pate, both of Stonewall, La., (five bass, 24-12)
2nd: Haughton High School – Tripp Bowman and Matthew Nesbit, both of Haughton, La., (five bass, 17-11)
3rd: West Ouachita High School – Wesley Banks, Calhoun, La., and Hunter Israel, West Monroe, La., (five bass, 15-2)
4th: Haughton High School – Zackey Hogg and Jacob Dupree, both of Haughton, La., (five bass, 14-2)
5th: Benton High School – Garrett Pierce and Gunnar Gray, both of Benton, La., (three bass, 12-2)
6th: Ouachita Christian School – Caleb Gates, Monroe, La., and Brennen Ramsey, Farmerville, La., (three bass, 12-0)
7th: Live Oak High School – Wyatt Spring and Tyler Thames, both of Denham Springs, La., (four bass, 11-8)
8th: East Beauregard High School – Kameron Seal and Jordan Miller, both of Deridder, La., (five bass, 11-7)
9th: North DeSoto High School – Garrett Brown and Nicolas Packett, both of Stonewall, La., (five bass, 11-2)
10th: Prairie View Academy – Tanner Caldwell and Layton Rainbolt, both of Bastrop, La., (five bass, 11-0)
11th: North Desoto High School – Kyle McAllen, Stonewall, La., and Ethan Howe, Keatchie, La., (three bass, 10-10)
12th: Quitman High School – Cason Womack and Bradley Koonce, both of Quitman, La., (five bass, 10-6)
The 2017 TBF High School Fishing Louisiana State Championship was a two-person (team) event for students in grades 7-12, open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF) affiliated high school club in the state of Louisiana. The top 10 percent of each Challenge, Open, and state championship field will advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
In addition to the High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest high school bass tournament, the 2017 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. At the 2016 World Finals more than $60,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded.
Full schedules and the latest announcements are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and FLWFishing.com.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2017 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 274 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros.
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 45 years. TBF founded the Student Angler Federation and the National High School Fishing program in 2008 to promote clean family fun and education through fishing. Visit bassfederation.com or highschoolfishing.org
By: Joe Opager, Director of Public Relations
