Alabama Anglers Lead High School Championship

Austin Hamner (left) and Aaron Reed of Northside High School in Alabama lead Day 1 of the 2016 Costa Bassmaster High School Series National Championship with 20 pounds, 3 ounces.

August 4, 2016

Alabama Anglers Lead High School Championship

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PARIS, Tenn. — Aaron Reed and Austin Hamner were among the last boats to leave the dock this morning, and the Alabama teens returned with the heaviest catch of the first round of the Costa Bassmaster High School Championship.

The two anglers from Tuscaloosa, Ala., caught five bass weighing 20 pounds, 3 ounces, to lead high school bass fishing’s national championship, underway this week on Kentucky and Barkley lakes.

“We had a good practice, catching mostly 3-pounders, and carried it over into today,” said Hamner.

“Being in the last flight of boats to leave didn’t hurt us, and we know that our takeoff time tomorrow will be earlier,” added Reed. “Our fish bite best in the morning.”

Reed and Hamner are members of the Northside High School Fishing team in Tuscaloosa. They are among 348 teen anglers from 175 high school teams competing for the national title after qualifying through a series of state and regional tournaments.

Not far behind the leaders with 19-6 are Samuel and Matthew Vandagriff, brothers fishing for Warren County High School in McMinnville, Tenn. Cody Stahl and Tate VanEgmond, of CrossPointe Christian Academy in Georgia, hold down third place with 19-4. Zach Vielhauer and Remington Wagner, fishing for Kickback High School in Kansas, are fourth with 18-13. And in fifth place with 18-6 are Bobby Bauer and C.J. Guest of Carson City High School in North Carolina.

The leaders are following a familiar fishing pattern on the lakes impounded by the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. During summer the bass gravitate to Kentucky and Barkley lakes’ offshore ledges. Those border the river channels and two of the bass’ key needs: food and comfort.

Cooler water is there, and so are schools of baitfish for sustaining their diet. The bass follow the food, making success hinge on the angler being at the right place at the right time.

Hamner and Reed are fishing early in the morning with topwater lures to catch actively feeding bass in shallow water. As the water temperature increases with the sunlight, the anglers are moving into deeper water.

“We have separate areas for catching limit fish and big bass,” explained Reed. “It’s a combination of being there when they are feeding.”

The anglers can weigh five bass per team measuring a minimum of 15 inches in length. The leaders are confident they can repeat the feat on Friday.

“We didn’t catch our limit until 10:30, but that was because of the late takeoff,” added Hamner. “We have four or five really good spots to try tomorrow.”

Like the leaders, the Vandagriff brothers are beginning the day shallow and then moving deeper.

“We culled up to bigger bass from our initial limit,” said Samuel. “We should be able to do it again tomorrow.”

The Vandagriffs caught their limit by 8:30 a.m. and then were able to cull those smaller bass with bigger ones that added up to the weight they brought to the scales.

“We only have two key areas, but that’s all we need,” added Matthew. “We didn’t need to fish the second area, it was that good.”

Fifth-place anglers Guest and Bauer are following the leaders by technique, fishing shallow early and then moving to deep water.

“We’re cranking ledges just like everyone else,” said Guest. “It’s all about being there at the right time and tomorrow we swing for the fences.”

That will be a good idea. After Friday, the field is cut to the Top 12 for the final day of fishing and to determine the national champion.

A coach, whose role is mentoring the anglers, accompanies them in the boat. Teams must take a 15-minute half-time break after four hours of fishing. One-minute timeouts are optional. Hamner and Reed landed their fifth keeper shortly after concluding the break.

Teams are eligible to win $70,250 in scholarship funds. B.A.S.S. is contributing $21,000 and sponsors are providing $9,250. The remaining $40,000 will be awarded by Bethel University in McKenzie, Tenn. The school has the distinction as the first to offer scholarships for members of a collegiate bass fishing team.

Triton Boas will also provide an additional $500 scholarship to each angler through sixth place.

Cap Massey, 14, of Animas, N.M., caught the big bass of the day weighing 8-5. He declined to comment on the lure used to catch the largemouth, saying only that it came from deep water.

The anglers take off at 5:30 a.m. from Paris Landing State Park and return for the weigh-in at 1:45 p.m. Paris Landing hosts the Day 2 weigh-in, while the final weigh-in, including crowning of the national champions, will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown Paris.

Today’s Activity# Fish Lbs – OzAccumulativeName # Live # Fish # Live Lbs – Oz1 Austin Hamner – Aaron Reed AL-Northside High School 5 4 20- 3 5 4 20- 32 Samuel Vandagriff – Matthew Vandagriff TN-Warren County 5 5 19- 6 5 5 19- 63 Cody Stahl – Tate VanEgmond GA -Crosspointe Christian Fishing Club 5 4 19- 4 5 4 19- 44 Zach Vielhauer – Remington Wagner KS- Kickback High School Club 4 3 18-13 4 3 18-135 Bobby Bauer – CJ Guest NC-Carson High School 5 5 18- 6 5 5 18- 66 Ben Abraham – Dane Humbles LA-Alexandria Senior High School 5 5 17-13 5 5 17-137 Ean Davis – Grayson Hanson AL-Pell City High School 5 5 17- 1 5 5 17- 18 Colton Didion – John Hutson OH-Hartley Hawgs 5 5 17- 1 5 5 17- 19 Dailus Richardson – Trevor McKinney IL-Benton High School 5 5 16-13 5 5 16-1310 Hunter Baird – Nick Davenport KS- Capital City 5 4 16- 9 5 4 16- 911 Sutton Black – Justin Barnes AL-Monroe Student Anglers 5 5 15-15 5 5 15-1512 Ethan Stone – Nolan Minor VA- OCHS Anglers 5 5 15-13 5 5 15-1313 Cap Massey – Adon Hernandez NM-Mesilla Valley Bass Anglers 5 5 15-11 5 5 15-1114 Luke Farley – Owen Hawker NC-NC Highschool Anglers 5 5 15-11 5 5 15-1115 Tommy Floyd JR – James Gibbons SC-South Florence High 5 5 15- 4 5 5 15- 415 Justin Watts – Alex Heintze LA-Livingston Parish Bassmasters 5 5 15- 4 5 5 15- 417 Drake Boyd – Daelyn Whaley SC-Abbeville HS 4 3 15- 4 4 3 15- 418 Caleb Dupre – Garret Smith Sulphur High School 5 5 15- 0 5 5 15- 019 Ryan Wood – Turner Mason CO- Front Range Bass Club 5 5 14-10 5 5 14-1020 Wesley Gore – Blake Davenport AL-Jemison HS 5 5 14- 3 5 5 14- 321 Parker Davis – Aaron Stephens AL-Mortimer Jordan HS Bass Club 5 5 14- 2 5 5 14- 222 Justin Kanute – Josh Wissinger AL-Hayden High School 5 4 13-12 5 4 13-1223 Jarrett McMillan – Scout Suddeth GA-Bremen High School 5 5 13- 2 5 5 13- 224 Buck Burns – Clint Dailey AL-Sipsey Valley High School 5 5 12-14 5 5 12-1425 Bryson Mills – Luke Byerly TN- Brentwood HS 5 3 12-14 5 3 12-1426 Oakley Connor – Hunter Harrison SC-Travelers Rest HS Devildog Anglers 5 5 12-12 5 5 12-1227 Eric Noyes – Mikey Reiss OK-Broken Arrow Fishing Team 5 5 12-11 5 5 12-1128 Jarrod Willbur – Garrett Tyrell MI- Walled Lake Central 5 5 12- 8 5 5 12- 829 Logan Stensrud – Devon O’Neil MN- Rogers HS 5 5 12- 8 5 5 12- 830 Caleb Gatwood – Cayden Soberoski MS- Oak Grove HS Warrior Bass Club 5 3 12- 7 5 3 12- 731 Keaton Greenawald – Tanner Cheeseman IN- Southside Anglers 5 5 12- 6 5 5 12- 632 Cole Drummond – Piercen Lynch SC- South Florence High 5 4 12- 0 5 4 12- 033 Steven Deason – Blake Handley AL-Hayden HS 4 4 12- 0 4 4 12- 034 Clay Torson – Jacob Maloney Cedar Rapids Jr Bassmasters 5 5 11-13 5 5 11-1335 Jackson Elder – Drake Montgomery AL-American Christian Academy 5 5 11-10 5 5 11-1035 Kyle Ingleburger – Kyle Palmer TN-Grundy County HS 5 5 11-10 5 5 11-1037 Adam Isler – Bemjamin Statly MI-Hartland HS 5 5 11- 8 5 5 11- 837 Grayson Whicker – Andrew Lear NC – Carson HS 5 5 11- 8 5 5 11- 839 Gavin Hessler – Tucker Nauss WI- St. Croix Central 5 5 11- 7 5 5 11- 740 Garrett McWilliams – Dalton Jones MS-Discovery Christian School Lions 4 3 11- 6 4 3 11- 641 Jake Beihoffer – Bailey Faires TN-Soddy Daisy HS 5 4 11- 5 5 4 11- 542 Will Sigmon – Luke Doughty WV- Carver Career Center 4 4 10-15 4 4 10-1543 Dax Ewart – Andrew McDaniel AL-Tuscaloosa County High School 5 5 10- 9 5 5 10- 943 Ethan Greene – Cody Lynn AL- Lakeside Chiefs 5 5 10- 9 5 5 10- 945 Ethan Mally – Cole Housley NE-NHSB 5 5 10- 8 5 5 10- 846 Bryson Glenn – Laython McLean SC- Dixie HS 4 4 10- 5 4 4 10- 547 Glenn Banaszak – Alec Berens IL-Minooka Anglers Club 5 5 10- 4 5 5 10- 447 Will Garrett – Fischer Keel AL-Auburn Anglers 5 5 10- 4 5 5 10- 449 Noah Winslow – Shane Powers Nonnewaug HS 5 5 10- 2 5 5 10- 250 Dustin Benefield – Adam Higgins AL-Arab Fishing Knights 4 4 10- 1 4 4 10- 151 Logan Henderson – Steven Swann AL-Springville Anglers 5 5 10- 0 5 5 10- 052 Lake Norsworthy – Blaine Fulton MS- Brandon HS 3 3 9-15 3 3 9-1553 Stephen Whitlow – Jared Young FL-Sarasota High School 5 5 9-14 5 5 9-1454 Taylor Gilliland – Charlie Baker AL-American Christian Academy 5 5 9-13 5 5 9-1355 Evan Bramhill – Teddy Peznola Mass Bass Nation HS 5 5 9- 6 5 5 9- 656 Jason Felter – Anthony Mello Idaho Trophy Bass Hunters 4 4 8-13 4 4 8-1356 Lucas Lindsay – Logan Parks Auburn Anglers 4 4 8-13 4 4 8-1358 Will Dewey – Cameron Kidd SC-York County HS Anglers 4 4 8-11 4 4 8-1158 Harmon Marien – Michael John WI-Northland Pines HS 4 4 8-11 4 4 8-1160 Jonathan Suttle – Gavin Deshotels LA-Sulphur High School 3 3 8-11 3 3 8-1161 Tyler Feddersen – Ben Dodson TN-Lenior City HS Bass Club 4 4 8- 6 4 4 8- 662 Cuyler Duke – Bryson Arthur GA-Bainbridge HS Basscats 3 3 8- 4 3 3 8- 463 Craig Wilson – Trevor St John TN-Campbell Co HS Cougars 4 4 8- 1 4 4 8- 164 Jacob Kennom – Kaden Knoch OK-Central OKC 2 1 7-15 2 1 7-1565 Joey Koller – Boyd Johnson IN-Martinsville 4 4 7-14 4 4 7-1466 Dawson Sturgis – Austen Willard AL-Athens Anglers 4 3 7-13 4 3 7-1367 Jeremy Bates – Josh Holden NH- Bishop Brady HS 4 4 7-11 4 4 7-1168 Drew Gunter – Chase Watson TN-Rhea County 3 3 7-11 3 3 7-1169 Grant Bourque – Ethan Smart LA-Ascension Anglers 3 3 7- 9 3 3 7- 970 Gunner Wilson – Zach Manneback MI-Hartland HS 3 3 7- 8 3 3 7- 871 Austin Adcox – Wyatt Hamner AL-Sipsey Valley High School 2 2 7- 6 2 2 7- 672 Nathan Hardin – Preston Williamson GA-Bremen High School 3 3 7- 5 3 3 7- 573 Will Moffett – Spencer Higginbotham MS-Franklin County High School 3 3 7- 4 3 3 7- 474 Matthew Arndt – Logan Ukleya NY-Oneida Lake 3 2 7- 3 3 2 7- 375 Colby Miller – Wesley Holt LA-Oak Hill HS Bass Club 3 2 6-15 3 2 6-1576 Nathan Powell – Chase Cantrell TN-Whitwell High School 3 3 6-10 3 3 6-1077 Austin Goins – Bryar Goins TN-Rhea County High School 3 3 6- 9 3 3 6- 978 Ryan Winchester – Jake Lee TN-Clinton High School 4 4 6- 7 4 4 6- 779 Max McQuiade – Ryan Richardson MA-Massachusetts HS Club 3 3 6- 6 3 3 6- 680 Jackson Ebbers – Tyler Witte NE-Cambridge Trojan Bass Anglers 3 3 6- 5 3 3 6- 581 Zach Bezak – PA-Punxsutawney Christian School 2 2 6- 5 2 2 6- 582 Ethan Cruze – Carlo Castiglione LA-Sam Houston High School 3 3 6- 4 3 3 6- 482 Cole Wood – Will Wood GA-Jefferson High School 3 3 6- 4 3 3 6- 484 Sean Hall – SC-North Augusta High School 3 2 6- 4 3 2 6- 485 Zane Loveday – Quintin Dorough AL-Chelsea Anglers 3 3 6- 3 3 3 6- 386 Wyatt Gabby – Drew Herrmann IL- Marion 3 3 6- 1 3 3 6- 187 Cal Culpepper – Parker Marshall GA-Harris County High School 3 3 5-15 3 3 5-1588 Peyton McCord – Aaron Cherry Headland Bass Team 2 2 5-13 2 2 5-1389 Will Delaney – Kaleb Ballard AL-Hillcrest High School 3 3 5- 9 3 3 5- 990 Victor Papaiz – Evan Citrigno ON- St. Catharines Bassmasters 2 2 5- 4 2 2 5- 491 Tucker Putnam – Blake Barrett AL-Good Hope Fishing Team 2 2 4-12 2 2 4-1291 Tanner Ward – Evan Stiteler OH-Coshocton Bass Club 2 2 4-12 2 2 4-1291 Jonathon Wilburn – Connor Jones AL-Guntersville High School 2 2 4-12 2 2 4-1294 Russ Brown – Bryce Strahan MS-Oak Grove HS Warrior Bass Club 2 2 4-11 2 2 4-1195 Nathanial Kimberling – Jakobe Atkins ID – Lake City HS 1 1 4-10 1 1 4-1096 Hayden Pinho – Ian Doucet LA- Patterson HS 2 2 4- 9 2 2 4- 996 Colin Slentz – Evan Slentz SC- Abbeville HS 2 2 4- 9 2 2 4- 996 Brianna Tucker – Garrett Jones AL – Hartselle Fishing Team 2 2 4- 9 2 2 4- 999 Zach Ingram – Chase Gallaway Heber Springs Panthers 2 2 4- 8 2 2 4- 8100 Hunter Porter – Cade Crocker Hillcrest High School 2 2 4- 7 2 2 4- 7100 Wyatt Powell – Glen McFee WV-Wirt County Tigers 2 2 4- 7 2 2 4- 7102 Kevin Sansom – Tucker Watts WV- Wayne HS 2 2 4- 6 2 2 4- 6103 Michael Arndt – Ryan Hujar NY-Oneida Lake 2 2 4- 5 2 2 4- 5103 Josh Dugger – Jake Dugger Pottsville HS 2 2 4- 5 2 2 4- 5105 Parker Guy – Jordan Gilbert GA- Irwin Bass Anglers 1 1 4- 4 1 1 4- 4106 Tristen Raines – Seth Johnson KY- George Rogers Clark HS Fishing Team 2 2 4- 3 2 2 4- 3107 Isaac Duncan – Jack Kelly MS-North Pike Jaguars 2 2 4- 2 2 2 4- 2107 Tyler Eagan – Noah Lewis MO-Lees Summit West HS Fishing Club 2 2 4- 2 2 2 4- 2109 Shaw Sandy – Sam Bennett AL-Athens Anglers 2 2 4- 1 2 2 4- 1110 Anthony Fazio – Grant Olsen IL-Minooka Anglers Club 2 2 4- 0 2 2 4- 0111 Connor Ezell – Riley Kilpatrick AL-Athens Anglers 2 2 3-15 2 2 3-15112 Kaleb Tweite – Kyler Bauer Riceville 2 2 3-14 2 2 3-14113 Noah Belt – Lane Couch OK- Kiowa HS 2 2 3-12 2 2 3-12113 Zach Martin – Cody Armstrong AL-Hayden High School 2 2 3-12 2 2 3-12115 Kyle Mach – Luke Bludworth TX-Douglass HS Fishing Team 2 2 3-10 2 2 3-10116 Nick Denham – Cole Baker KY- Jefferson County Bassmasters 2 2 3- 6 2 2 3- 6117 Cole MacDonald – Kyle Calvert AL-Good Hope Fishing Team 1 1 3- 6 1 1 3- 6118 Garrett McCrackin – Gunner Baker OK-Oak Grove HS Warrior Bass Club 2 2 3- 2 2 2 3- 2119 Tyler Wagnon – Lucas Terry AL-East Limestone 1 1 3- 2 1 1 3- 2120 Chris Brown – Bryce Warren DE-Milford HS 1 1 2- 9 1 1 2- 9121 Jacob Bruener – Austin Brewer TX- Douglass HS Fishing Team 1 1 2- 7 1 1 2- 7121 Griffin Fernandes – Joe Keller Southeastern Bass Anglers 1 1 2- 7 1 1 2- 7123 Colton Colwell – Hunter Brady CO- Windsor HS Bass Fishing Club 1 1 2- 4 1 1 2- 4123 Cole Miles – Dillan White Southside Anglers 1 1 2- 4 1 1 2- 4123 Justin Mork – Nick Camarote MN- Rogers HS 1 1 2- 4 1 1 2- 4123 Bradly Powell – Erik Van Dyke FL- Marion County HS Bassmasters 1 1 2- 4 1 1 2- 4123 Tyler Thompson – Hunter Mims TN-Midway High School 1 1 2- 4 1 1 2- 4128 Hunter Daniel – Brenden Farley AR-River Valley Fishing Club 1 1 2- 2 1 1 2- 2128 Matt Miller – Tyler Moscrip IN-Southside Anglers 1 1 2- 2 1 1 2- 2130 Kole Greer – Kyler Radford LA-North Desoto High School 1 0 2- 2 1 0 2- 2131 Taylor Hamburger – Jack Hamburger Eagle Anglers 1 1 2- 1 1 1 2- 1131 John Weddle – James Fry IN-Columbus East High School 1 1 2- 1 1 1 2- 1133 Tyler McCubbins – Dalton Goble TN-Grainger HS 1 1 2- 0 1 1 2- 0133 Jackson Staib – George Carr DE-Concord HS 1 1 2- 0 1 1 2- 0135 Ian Boehm – Brandon Laird-Fletcher AZ- Arizona HS Bass Nation 1 1 1-15 1 1 1-15135 Tyler Gavlick – Andrew Henry PA- Susquehanna Valley Fishing Team 1 1 1-15 1 1 1-15137 Zachary Fones – Benjamin LeBlanc VA-Frederick County Bass Anglers 1 1 1-14 1 1 1-14137 Evan Hughes – Jacob Gray Abbeville High School 1 1 1-14 1 1 1-14137 Alex Rigg – Joshua Austin NM – Mesilla Valley Bass Anglers 1 1 1-14 1 1 1-14137 Jacob Woods – Austin Winter TN-Lenoir City High School 1 1 1-14 1 1 1-14141 Ian McGann – Riley McGann MD-Marriotts Ridge Mustangs BFC 1 1 1-12 1 1 1-12142 Mason Moore – Logan Estes KY- Lincoln County HS 1 1 1-11 1 1 1-11143 Austin Smith – Devan Hamrick MD- Southern Garrett Bass Slayers 1 1 1-10 1 1 1-10144 Blake Albertson – Dylan Cobb IN-Southside Anglers 1 1 1- 9 1 1 1- 9145 Landry Cooper – Cameron Kirkland TN-Sequoyah High School 1 1 1- 8 1 1 1- 8146 Laney Skipper – Taylor Owens AL-Rehobeth Bass Club 4 4 0- 0 4 4 0- 0147 Kyle Everett – Dustin Wellman LA- Dragon Bass Club 1 1 0- 0 1 1 0- 0148 Zach Bauer – Levi McKinney IN-Martinsville High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Braden Blanchard – Cade Fortenberry LA-Ascension Anglers 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Austin Chism – Jackson Williams FL- Lakeland Area HS Club 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Maciek Chmielewski – Adrian Kurnyta IL-Hinsdale South HS 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Bransford Dean – Dustin Osborne TN-Rhea County 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Jacob Doster – Mitchell DeGraaf IL-Minooka Anglers Club 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Corey Elliott – Conner Akins KY-Corbin High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Denton Ellison – Tyler Allison MO-Lee’s Summit West HS 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Laura Ann Foshee – Reid Connor AL-Gardendale High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Christian Greico – Sebastian Greico FL- HS Hawg Hunters 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Noah Henderson – Blake Wood AL-Cold Springs Fishing Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Gracie Herbold – Addison Speigner AL-Headland Bass Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Cade Holcomb – Chace Gregory AL-Helena High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Bryce Kiely – Johnathan Hoefer MO-Liberty North 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Spencer Kirkpatrick – Davis Miller AL-Tuscaloosa County High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Tyler Lubbat – Matt Runge Buffalo Grove Bass Fishing 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Tristan McDonald – Jake Redmond ON-K-W Cambridge HS Club 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Jordan Mullis – Adam Puckett IN-Southside Anglers 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Garrett Prenger – Zach Henry OH-Buckeye State Student Anglers 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Wil Rickenbaker – Walker Moore SC-Travelers Rest HS Devildog Anglers 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Auston Ricks – Cody Banks AL-Cold Springs Fishing Team 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Hunter Runyan – Chris Mcabee TN-Roane County High 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Braden Ryals – Tommy Beasley MS-Forrest County AHS 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Austin Smith – Noah Pierce TN- Campbell County HS 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Wade Sneed – Tyler Price TN-Rhea County High School 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Noah Sowell – Trey Proctor TX-Hemphill Hornet Bass Club 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Lindsey Stevens – Clayton Scott GA- Ola HS 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0148 Cole Tabert – Dylan Hansen WA-Moses Lake HS 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0Name City,State Lbs-OzBIG BASSDay1 Cap Massey – Adon Hernandez Animas, NM 8- 5Day # Live Lbs-Oz # LimitsTOTALS# Fish1 461 442 1158- 7 472 0 0 0- 0 0

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