“That’s five states now with anglers registered after just three years with the Bobby Lane Cup. It has grown into a Southeastern tournament, not just a Florida tournament,” said Derek Boswell, Bartow High School Jackets tournament director.

The Bobby Lane Cup, hosted by the Bartow High School Jackets Bass Fishing Team, is an annual tournament open only to high school and middle school anglers. Anglers must be members of the Student Angler Federation. Non-members may join SAF by calling the TBF National Office at 580-765-9031or visit www.highschoolfishing.org. The membership fee is $25 per student.

The Bobby Lane Cup began two years ago as a collaboration between Boswell and Kellie Jo Snyder, Bobby Lane’s sister who teaches at Bartow High and is an ambassador for the Bartow High School Jackets Bass Fishing Team.

“I said, ‘Kellie, what do you think about your brother hosting a tournament before Christmas and we will call it the Bobby Lane Cup?’ We asked Bobby and he did not hesitate. He said, ‘Let’s do this’.”

That got the ball rolling and Boswell said there are improvements on the horizon.

The students fish as two-angler teams and both members of the winning team get a trophy that is a replica of the one given to the champion in the Forrest Wood Cup. This year a Middle School division called the Junior Cup was added and the winning team in that division also will get the same trophies.

“In the future there will also be scholarships awarded and my goal is to have the school board acknowledge this program as well. Look for that next year or by the fifth year,” Boswell said.

The tournament already attracts some high profile young anglers, too, he noted, including the offspring of some of the top pro anglers. Among the notables fishing this weekend are Louie Echols, an ambassador of bass fishing who was featured on the cover of Florida Fish and Wildlife magazine; Cal Lane of Alabama, son of pro angler Chris Lane, Bobby’s brother; Austin Murray, the reigning high school champion for Team Sport Fishing; Florida State Champions Cole Schmucker and Kaitlyn Boswell, the first girl to win a Florida high school state championship in fishing; and Jacob and Reed Martin, pro angler Scott Martin’s sons and Roland Martin’s grandsons.

In addition, the reigning champions of the Bobby Lane Cup, Matt Bedenbaugh and Kyle Stafford, will be defending their title in Saturday’s tournament.

Boswell said Ronald Pritchard, the principal of Bartow High School, who is retiring Dec. 31, will be honored at the weigh-in with a plaque and a special letter signed by all the members of the Jacket Fishing Team.

“Three years ago Mr. Pritchard was the first to say ‘Yes’ to a high school fishing program in Florida,” Boswell said. “When we formed the Barstow High Team he went to the school board and got us recognized.”

Members of the school board are expected to attend Saturday’s weigh-in also, Boswell said.

“When you have the school board coming to a fishing tournament that tells you a lot,” he added.

Registration and the pre-tournament meeting with free hot dogs and drinks will be held 6-8 p.m. Friday at D.B. Bait & Tackle, 640 S. Orange Ave Bartow, Fla. For details, contact Derek Boswell, BHS Jackets Tournament Director, at 863-513-8877 or e-mail [email protected].

Sponsors of the third annual tournament include : Camp Mack’s River Resort, D.B. Bait & Tackle, LB3 Outdoors in Auburndale, Fla., and McBroom’s Awards in Bartow, Fla. The tournament sponsors and Bobby Lane’s sponsors will provide tackle and other prizes for all the anglers, Boswell said.

The fishing is expected to be outstanding also for the tournament, Boswell said.

“These fish have been turned on recently. Bobby went out Sunday and caught a 12-pounder. He caught an 11-pounder the week before in a tournament, but was taken out by another angler who had a 13-pounder. We’ve had some really good fishing reports – and we have a lot of kids getting ready for Saturday.”

 

3rd Annual Bobby Lane Cup

Sat, Dec 14, 2013

Kissimmee Chain

Camp Mack’s

http://www.ihigh.com/bhsjacketsfishingclub/index.html

Contact Derek Boswell, BHS Jackets Tournament Director, 863-513-8877