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In the four-year history of competitive bass fishing, the Savannah area has made it to the Georgia High School Association finals. This year is no different, with ten teams from local schools qualifying for the GHSA State Bass Fishing Championship on May 4, 2024, on Clark Hills Lake in Appling, Georgia. There were four GHSA state bass fishing qualifying weekends. Who qualified?

This season began with the first qualifier at Lake Seminole on January 20, where 243 teams vied for a chance to qualify to compete at the championships in May. Among them, the duo of Branton Champion and Jackson Behringer from Richmond Hill High School hooked the 11th position with a solid catch weighing in at 9 pounds even. Additionally, Owen Osden and Aiden Pluff, also from Richmond Hill HS, nailed the 17th spot with a catch of 6 pounds and 13 ounces. Ty Griffin and Andrew Greene from Effingham County HS also qualified, securing the 23rd position with a catch of 5 pounds and 5 ounces.

No teams from the Savannah area qualified for the state championships at the second qualifier at Lake Oconee on February 17, 2024.

However, in March, the bass was biting at the West Point qualifier, where schools lured fish. Carson Goode and Jackson Hopper from the third angler team from Richmond Hill showcased their skills, securing the 13th spot with a catch weighing 10 pounds and 11 ounces. Tripp Browher and Grant Rutland, the second Rebel bass fishing team from Effingham County High School, followed, claiming the 22nd position with 10 pounds and 1 ounce catch. Stephen Sauers, Jack McKenzie from Benedictine Military School, and Hunter Shuman and Jackson Sims from Bryan County High School have secured state championship spots by catching bass weighing 9 pounds and 1 ounce each.

Finally, in the last qualifier at Lake Hartwell on April 20, 2024, Luke Gunn and Kade Edwards from Savannah Christian Preparatory School secured the third position with a huge catch weighing 13 pounds and 3 ounces. Only ten ounces separated first and third place. Then anglers Lake Chance and Landon Turner from South Effingham High School jigged their spot in the state championship with a catch of 9 lbs—2 ounces.

Photo - (l-r) Luke Gunn - Kade Edwards SCPS Bass Fishing Team

So, ten teams, schools from the Savannah area, will cast their reels in hopes of bringing home the first-ever GHSA State Bass Fishing Championship to our community on May 4, 2024, at Clark Hills Lake in Appling, Georgia. 

Photo Credit: Luke Gunn Instagram social media page

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