The Fishing Club, initiated by superintendent Dr. Jason Adams, competed in their second tournament October 19 in the Texas High School Bass Association (THSBA) fishing tournament at Richland Chambers Lake, and the next competition will be Saturday at Lake Fork.

“The boys are learning the difference between recreational fishing, and the grind of tournament fishing,” Adams said. “Tournament fishing can be tough mentally and physically.”

At the tournament, fishing team seniors Hayden Hardwick and Payton Hughes caught one fish each with a total weight of 5.04 pounds. One hundred and eighty- seven teams competed, with only 183 fish weighed in by all competitors.

“The Richland Chambers tournament was rough for competitors,” Adams said.

There are four teams consisting of Hardwick and Hughes, freshmen Cale Myers and Wyatt Dodd, freshmen Kolby Adams and Monty Morgan, and freshmen Wilson Lupo and Jarrett Dewitt.

“I think we did good in our first tournament,” Myers said, “ I’m proud to have placed 21, but I hope to do better next time.”

At the previous tournament at Lake Palestine, the teams caught a total of four bass weighing 10.85 pounds. Myers and Dodd caught three of the four fish, placed 21 in the tournament, and was awarded gift cards to Academy for their efforts.The fourth fish was contributed by Hardwick and Hughes. A total of 192 teams competed in the Palestine tournament catching a total 254 fish.

“I’ll give the boys credit, they’re fishing hard and competing and learning the ways of tournament fishing,” Adams said. “They’ll continue to get better!”