The BAM Scholastic Series continues to make waves in the competitive bass fishing scene, with Kaiden Dinning of Redding, California, dominating the tournament trail and securing a two-time championship win. The Scholastic Series kicked off in grand fashion at Lake Shasta.
This unique format allows High School Anglers to fish as Co-Anglers in the Pro/Am Event for the first two days of the tournament, providing them with an excellent opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals. With a small $100 entry fee, these young anglers are held to the same high standards as co-anglers but fish for their own prize pot. The chance to network, build relationships with industry professionals, and gain insight from top-tier anglers is invaluable. On top of that, the Angler of the Year prize—a $25,000 scholarship per year to Simpson University’s Bass Fishing Team—makes the stakes even higher.
Kaiden Dinning’s Winning Ways
Lake Shasta:
The inaugural event of the BAM Scholastic Series took place on Lake Shasta, known for its large spotted bass and expansive fishing opportunities. Kaiden Dinning, fishing in his home state, took first place with an impressive 11.48 pounds of Lake Shasta spotted bass. The win came on a single-day co-angler format, where the field of young anglers faced 30 MPH wind gusts throughout the day. Kaiden’s draw for the event was Juan Acosta, a seasoned West Coast angler who helped Dinning sharpen his technique.
Kaiden’s key techniques included using a 3.3” Keitech swim bait in Rainbow Shad paired with a 3/8 ounce Dirty Jigs Guppy head and a 1/8th ounce Neko rigged 5” green pumpkin Senko. Fishing in deep water (35-60 feet), Dinning’s first fish of the day was a solid 2-pounder, and he quickly accumulated the rest of his limit.
“I had my 11 ½ pounds pretty early. I was excited to keep upgrading, but that 5th fish gave me the confidence I needed to keep pushing until check-in,” Kaiden shared.
Lake Don Pedro:
In Stop #2 of the series, Kaiden once again showcased his skill by taking first place at Lake Don Pedro, a completely new fishery for him. With a total weight of 23.49 pounds, Kaiden’s performance was stellar, especially considering his lack of prior experience with the lake.
Day 1 saw him fishing with JR Wright, a pro known for his reaction bite techniques. Kaiden fished with finesse techniques and caught several fish on a 5” Neko rig with a Green Pumpkin Fatty-Z Frenzy Baits Nail. By Day 2, Kaiden was fishing with Rob Nakatomi, who provided him with valuable advice. Despite the tougher conditions and deeper fishing areas (up to 70 feet), Kaiden landed quality largemouth, finishing with 4 fish for 23.49 pounds.
Read it All: https://bassanglermag.com/kaiden-dinnin ... -champion/
Advertising