Sixty-nine outstanding high school anglers from across the country have been named to the 2017 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team, presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. Westerville North High School senior Colten Didion is one of two Ohio pupils selected for this honor. Students were selected based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service.
B.A.S.S. received more than 380 nominations from across the nation, a 75 percent increase over the number nominated in the first two years of the program. From these, judges selected 69 student anglers from 40 states to make the All-State Fishing Team.
A second panel of judges will review nominations of the All-State Team and select 12 as the 2017 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team. Criteria includes success in high school fishing tournaments, involvement in conservation efforts and other community service activities. Those 12 will compete in a one-day Bassmaster All-American High School Bass Tournament held during the 2017 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, a fan-favorite festival held May 17-21 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir near Lufkin, Texas.
Elite Series anglers will serve as teammates and coaches of students in the tournament. The high school standouts will be honored on the main Texas Fest stage at the weigh-in. All will be profiled in Bassmaster Magazine, read monthly by 4.4 million people, as well as on Bassmaster.com.