Big things just keep happening at Chickamauga Lake.
Last week, the 36,240-acre Tennessee River impoundment hosted a Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open, with John Cox winning the pro division and Darrell Davis landing an 11-pound, 5-ounce largemouth that ranks as the biggest bass caught in a B.A.S.S. event this year.
Now the lake is about to play host to the largest field in the 50-year tournament history of B.A.S.S.
The Costa Bassmaster High School Southern Open presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods is scheduled for Saturday, with takeoff at 6:40 a.m. ET from Blue Water Resort. The weigh-in is set for 2:40 p.m. at Dayton City Boat Dock, with a massive field of 416 boats.
With two anglers and a team captain or coach in each boat, more than 1,200 participants will be on the water. The previous record for tournament field size was 332 boats, set last April in a High School Open on Lake Guntersville.
“The overwhelming popularity of high school fishing just keeps shining through in these events,” said Hank Weldon, B.A.S.S. College and High School Series senior manager. “We’re talking about an incredible field — and they’ll be on an incredible fishery, which we saw with last week’s Open.
“It’s going to be a really exciting moment for the sport.”
Spawning bass played a major role in last week’s event at Chickamauga. Cox fished exclusively for bedding fish to catch his three-day total of 68-3, weighing in daily limits of 22-6, 25-7 and 20-6.
Saturday’s event is one of four High School Opens that qualify student anglers for the Costa Bassmaster High School Championship presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, which will be held on Kentucky Lake in June. The Western High School Open on Lake Oroville, California, also is being held Saturday. In addition to top anglers in the Opens, the highest-finishing competitors in state championships and sanctioned high school team trails also are invited to the High School Championship.
Fish Dayton will be hosting the tournament.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/high-school-bass-fishing.
2017 Costa Bassmaster High School Title Sponsor: Costa
2017 Costa Bassmaster High School Presenting Sponsor: DICK’S Sporting Goods
2017 Costa Bassmaster High School Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2017 Costa Bassmaster High School Premier Sponsors: Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Shell Rotella, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Berkley, Huk, Hummingbird, Mercury
2017 Costa Bassmaster High School Supporting Sponsors: Advance Auto Parts, Carhartt, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, Shimano, St. Croix Rods, ABU Garcia, Academy Sports + Outdoors
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines, Bassmaster website , television show (The Bassmasters), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation presented by Magellan, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
By: JamieDay Matthews
