Jordans win high school bass fishing contest

Credit: HIGH SCHOOL FISHING PHOTO

Credit: HIGH SCHOOL FISHING PHOTO

When it comes to winning championships, Rocky Jordan has no limit.

The Graham High School state wrestling champion teamed with the freshman cousin and Falcons wrestling teammate Tanner Jordan to win the TBF/FLW High School Fishing Ohio State Championship at Alum Creek Reservoir in Columbus this past Saturday.

The Jordans hooked a five-bass limit that weighed in at a total 11 pounds, 13 ounces and took top honors among 19 teams that launched from Alum Creek State Park. That was enough to secure a state championship and qualify for the High School Fishing Central Conference championship that will be contested on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, on Sept. 23-24.

“We used black and blue jigs most of the day concentrating on timber in the back of creeks and bays,” said Rocky in a release, who was a state wrestling runner-up as a freshman and won the Division II 145-pound state title in March to cap a 36-3 season.

“It was a slow grind and we caught just about one fish every hour, which enabled us to cull a few times,” added Tanner.

Also advancing to the Central Conference championship is the runner-up combo of Abigail Shade of Carlisle High School and Kody Whitaker of Field High School at Mogadore. They combined for four bass that weighed eight pounds, 14 ounces.

The event was for students grades 7-12 and offered plenty of incentive. According to rules:

• The top 10 percent from each TBF/FLW state championship field will advance to a High School Fishing conference championship along with the top three teams from each of the seven TBF/FLW High School Fishing Opens held this season.

• The top 10 percent of each conference championship field will then advance to the High School Fishing National Championship, coinciding with the TBF National Championship and an FLW Tour stop in the spring of 2017.

• The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.

• All High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest high school bass tournament, the 2016 High School Fishing World Finals at Florence, Alabama, on Pickwick Reservoir. Last year more than $20,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded.

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