The 2025 Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Bass Fishing State Championship will be held this Saturday at Lake Lanier, marking the fifth season of Georgia's fast-growing high school sport.
Over the past three years, interest in GHSA bass fishing has exploded. In 2023, 82 boats qualified for state. That number jumped to 126 in 2024 and 111 in 2025. Two-person teams must qualify through regional tournaments held across the state to earn a spot in the championship.
This year's qualifying tournaments were:
- Lake Oconee (Feb. 8) – 184 boats competed.
- Clarks Hill Lake (Mar. 8) – 129 boats.
- West Point Lake (Apr. 5) – 151 boats
Several Savannah-area teams will be in the field for the state finals:
- Benedictine: Miler Fredrich and Nolan Crouch (qualified at Lake Oconee)
- Calvary Day: Kaden Batts & Will Bauer (Clarks Hill Lake)
- Effingham County: Ambrose & Tucker Smith (Clarks Hill Lake)
- Richmond Hill:
- Owen Osden & Aiden Pluff (Lake Oconee)
- Griffin Spence & Issac Buhles (Clarks Hill Lake)
- Ryan Fitzgerald & Alex Erb (Clarks Hill Lake)
- Carson Goode & Jackson Hopper (West Point Lake)
Each boat may bring in up to five bass, each at least 14 inches long. Only bass are counted, and all fish are released after weigh-in. Success in bass fishing depends on skill, knowledge of the water, and the ability to adjust to different weather and water conditions—not size or strength.
This weekend's championship forecast calls for rain on Lake Lanier as did last year. The Savannah area will be well-represented as these student anglers hit the water for a shot at a state title.
FOLLOW the Prep Sports Report on Twitter @PrepSav and Instagram savannahsportsreport. If you have any scores, information, or story ideas to share, please email kdemasi@prepsportsreport.com.
