High School Fishing Recruits Eye College Scholarships At Combine

When the inaugural Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine kicks off on Oct. 15, there will be 85 gifted high school anglers from 28 states who will have the opportunity to showcase their talents for a host of colleges.

The coaches from 20 colleges that offer fishing scholarships will be on hand at the three-day event on Wheeler Lake in Decatur to not only evaluate talent but to enjoy rare face time with anglers.

While the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine provides an unprecedented chance for young anglers to get in front of championship-caliber college programs, the coaches themselves are eagerly anticipating an opportunity to recruit more effectively.

“The biggest difference between what I do as a fishing coach versus most sports is that I’m a one-man staff for evaluation and anything that can help me save time is very valuable,” said Coach John Pollard of Faulkner University, which started its fishing team in 2017. “This combine will help me do more evaluations for more prospects in three days than I can normally do in several months. As a coach and recruiter, this is an exciting opportunity to evaluate and make contact with 85 anglers who are eager to continue their competitive angling in college.”

The inaugural Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine kicks off on Oct. 15 at Alabama’s Wheeler Lake. There will be 85 anglers from 28 states who will have the opportunity to showcase their talents for a host of colleges.

Among the athletes attending the combine are 31 students who competed in July’s Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and 11 anglers who were named to the 2021 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

“This event gives us a great stepping stone to the next level by connecting us with college coaches and allowing us to showcase our skills against others from around the country,” said Cole Moulton of Enfield, N.H., a member of the prestigious 2021 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team. “Also, the combine allows me to see how my skills match up against some other very talented anglers from across the country, which in return will help me improve.”

At the High School Combine, anglers will perform multiple tasks to show their skill set not only on the water but also to display their knowledge of the sport as a whole. After the first day, colleges will have the opportunity to select anglers for a “second look” where they can further explore everything that angler has to offer and see if they would be the perfect fit for their fishing program.

Unlike many other high school sports, college fishing coaches do not get years of “game film” on recruits or the opportunity to be in the boat watching them compete, which presents a variety of challenges.

“The biggest thing we look at when recruiting high school anglers is whether or not they can continue to fish at a high level by themselves,” said Troy University’s Coach Evan Rice, who is rebuilding a Troy team that first started competing in 2006. “A lot of kids are only good because of their boat captains. We want kids who have fished their own way, because I feel that 100% makes them a better angler in college.”

The opportunity to meet individually with so many prospective anglers at the High School Combine is also critical for coaches trying to build team chemistry.

“I will be looking for the complete angler,” said Coach William Crawford, Outdoor Scholars Program Director and head fishing coach at the University of Montevallo. “I want a good student in the classroom, a good citizen in the community and a good angler on the water.”

Montevallo’s bass fishing program, which was founded in 2008 by current Bassmaster Elite Series pro Clent Davis, continues to be one of the most successful programs in collegiate fishing, with 10 teams qualifying for the 2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops.

“Response to the inaugural High School Combine has been incredible,” said Hank Weldon, senior manager of the B.A.S.S. College and High School program. “The fact that high school anglers are traveling here from as far away as California, New York and Maine really speaks to the massive growth and appetite for high school and college bass fishing over the past few years. The college coaches are going to be incredibly impressed by the skill level that will be on display.”

Only colleges offering bass fishing scholarships were invited to attend. For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/high-school.