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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2023 national championships for the hugely popular Bassmaster High School and Junior Series will be decided on the renowned waters of Lake Hartwell. The 2023 Bassmaster Junior National Championship for second- through eighth-grade anglers will head to Anderson, S.C., July 21-22, while the Strike King Bassmaster High School Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors will be held July 27-29.
“We are so excited to host the Bassmaster Junior and High School National Championships at Green Pond Landing and Lake Hartwell,” said Neil Paul, executive director of Visit Anderson, which is hosting the events. “The leadership of Anderson County has provided us with a facility that is second to none and the resources to be able to bring championship events to our community, and we are grateful. In addition, our Anderson County team recognizes the confidence that B.A.S.S. has in our community to provide a first-class event for the anglers, their families, sponsors of the sport and the B.A.S.S. team. We look forward to another memorable event in Anderson County!”
This will be the first year for the Junior Series National Championship to venture away from west Tennessee, while 2022 marked the first time the Bassmaster High School National Championship has been held on Lake Hartwell. Young anglers from 39 states and Ontario, Canada, qualified to compete as part of the 315-boat field. That initial event was not only a success on the water but also accounted for more than 6,100 room nights and had a total economic impact of $1.5 million for Anderson, earning recognition as a 2022 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism (Mid-Market Division) by Sports Destination Management.
As many as 440 junior and high school teams are expected to compete. Each two-angler team is accompanied by a coach who runs the boat and can give advice on fishing techniques and patterns.
“We are thrilled to give young anglers an opportunity to tackle Hartwell — one of the most storied fisheries in Bassmaster history — as they compete for a national title,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. Nation tournament manager — College, High School and Junior. “I think people will be amazed not only by the knowledge these young anglers have of the sport, but by the size of the fish they bring to the scales. What they know and how they perform at such a young age really shows how the sport of competitive bass fishing is evolving and gives us a good idea of the kind of competition we’ll see at the higher ranks in the future.”
The Bassmaster High School Series debuted in 2013 and has grown immensely since its inception. The program emphasizes sportsmanship, academics and conservation while giving young anglers a chance to improve and test their fishing skills in competition among their peers.
The tournaments are being hosted by Visit Anderson.
2023 Bassmaster High School Series Title Sponsor: Strike King
2023 Bassmaster High School Series Presenting Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2023 Bassmaster High School Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2023 Bassmaster High School Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2023 Bassmaster High School Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2023 Bassmaster High School Series Youth Sponsors: 13 Fishing, Seaguar, Shimano
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About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.
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