A couple of PHS Anglers reeled in the competition at the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster National Tournament at Lake Hartwell last weekend. The prestigious national tournament is organized by popular fishing brand Bassmaster and is an opportunity for high school anglers across the country to showcase their talent.
Pickens own Wyatt Richards and Colby Goforth first qualified for the event by finishing 5th in the state according to their Angler of the Year points.
A whopping 481 teams descended on Lake Hartwell from 35 states around the nation and as far as Canada for the three day tournament. To do well in the tournament, competitors must catch large bass that weigh enough to push them past the competition.
The PHS juniors finished day one of the tournament in 7th place and found themselves leading the entire field of anglers after day 2, with a total of 6 bass weighing 23 pounds 1 oz. Only the top 12 teams would fish the final day. Wyatt and Colby relied on their experience of fishing close to their home region to help them land fish the first two days.
Like all the anglers in the tournament, they had to find ways to get the fish to bite in the heat. Day three would be as hot as the rest. Wyatt and Colby finished with 30 lbs 14 ozs over the three days which was good enough to finish 3rd overall. Not a bad showing for the largest high school tournament in history.
Wyatt and Colby will receive a portion of the prize money for their high finish and will carry the experience into future tournaments. They are excited to fish for the next two years with the Pickens Bass Fishing Team.
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