Nearly 700 high school anglers in 321 boats fished Lake Sam Rayburn for the two-day championship that concluded Sunday, June 19, far more than the 10-school tournament Lumberton teacher Bryan Thomas hosted on the north side of the lake out of a box trailer in February of 2013.
Thomas co-founded the Southeast Texas High School Fishing Association three years ago. The winner of that first tournament won a fishing reel and a gift card. Today's champion team won $10,000 out of this season's $190,000 total scholarship money. SETXHSFA has quintupled to 47 schools since its inception and is on a pace to break 50 by next season.
This season, the growth has forced the parking at Sam Rayburn onto the shoulders of Highway 255. The teams, which used to all launch from the same spot on tournament days, now are asked to launch anywhere on the lake.
There was some discussion about fishing becoming a UIL sport.
The SETXHSFA is not in favor of applying to the UIL because such a union would eliminate all the scholarship prize money.
More progressive states such as the Kentucky High School Athletic Association waived certain sections of their bylaws to accommodate bass fishing. The UIL applies all of its bylaws to every entity that applies to be a part of the athletic association.
The following are the top 10 finishers for the Rayburn Championsip.
SETX High School Fishing Association
Team Tournament Results
6/18- 6/19/2016 Sam Rayburn-Umphrey Pavilion
June 19, 2016
1
JOHNNIE
NEMECEK-HUNTER SCOTT, FRIENDSWOOD, 9.36, 35.87
2
BROCK CROSS-COBY CROSS, ORANGEFIELD, 6.82, 32.51
3
LAYNE MOBLEY-JACE VASQUEZ, PNG, 31.45
4
DANNY MULLINS-ROBERT NOEL, HUNTINGTON, 6.35, 31.17
5
DILLIAN METREYEON-MONTY,LUMBERTON , 30.86
5
HUNTER MUNCRIEF-LANDEN MCCARY, WEST SABINE, 4.41,
30.866
7
BRYCE RODER-JARED GOEBEL, LUMBERTON, 30.66
8
CORY HYDEN-ROBBY CLARK, SPURGER, 30.25
9
COLLIN HALE-DEVIN YATES, CENTRAL HEIGHTS, 30.22
10
CHANDLER BURGAY-HUNTER SMITH, CENTER, 30.02
Please check http://www.setxhighschoolfishing.com/pdf/tResults/2015-2016/2016%20Championship.pdf for a complete list of anglers and how they finished.