KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL FISHING STATE CHAMPIONSHIP JUNE 25

Winners eligible for regional championships, college scholarships

RUSSELL — The Bass Federation (TBF), in partnership with Forrest L. Wood (FLW) Outdoors, announced it will host the inaugural Student Angler Federation Kansas High School Fishing State Championship June 25 at Wilson Reservoir, near Russell. The state championship is a two-person team event for students in grades 9-12. The winning two-person team from each state championship will 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.

“We are excited to host the high school championship tournament,” said Janae Talbott, director of the Russell County Economic Development and Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We love to see youth carrying on the fishing heritage, learning respect for the environment and the recreational opportunities Kansas has to offer anglers.”

Registration for high school anglers and their coaches, who will provide the boat they compete in, is available online at HighSchoolFishing.org, by phoning580-765-9031, or by emailing info@highschoolfishing.org for more details.

Mandatory check-in begins at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 24, in the TBF tournament trailer at Wilson State Park’s Hells Creek Ramp, with a mandatory rules briefing at 6 p.m. Teams are encourage preregister online or by phone in advance to avoid late-registration fees.

Students and parents can go to HighSchoolFishing.org for details on the Student Angler Federation (SAF) and to sign up. Cost is $25 and includes a one-year SAF membership and full TBF and FLW Outdoors benefits, including access to the all-new FLW Outdoors Magazine e-Edition and insurance coverage for students and their club. The fee covers all SAF sanctioned events all year.

Ranger boats will be provided for the high school anglers to fish from at each regional championship, and 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. All SAF members and state championship participants qualify for the largest event in high school fishing, the 2011 High School Fishing World Finals, July 20-23 in Russellville, Ark., to compete for thousands in college scholarships and prizes.

Each team that qualifies for a regional and/or national championship will receive a travel allowance to help offset expenses. The High School Fishing National Championship winners will each receive a $5,000 scholarship to use at the university of their choice.

An SAF sanctioned event also includes an “angler testing” component. Anglers can take a free online test at HighSchoolFishing.org about boater safety, conservation, and angler ethics, which makes them eligible for contingency awards at their state championship.

For more information, write the Russell County Economic Development and Convention and Visitors Bureau, 331 E. Wichita, Russell, KS 67665; phone 785-483-4000; email Janae Talbott, director, at rced@russellks.org; or visit their website, www.russellcoks.org.