High School Fishing Teams Lining Up To Fish In Bobby Lane Cup On Kissimmee Chain
The Student Angler Federation, the youth arm of The Bass Federation, has uncovered a simple truth: give a kid the opportunity to fish and he will find it is something he loves.
“You don’t have to be a football player to fish,” said Derek Boswell, tournament director for the second annual Bobby Lane Cup, hosted by Bartow (Fla.) High School Saturday out of Camp Mack’s on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.
“This is our second year and it is amazing how we have grown,” said Boswell who had 32 boats registered for Saturday’s tournament by Wednesday and is expecting at least 40 teams for the event on Saturday.
“We have teams from Bartow High School, which is hosting the tournament, George Jenkins High School in Highland City, Fla., Kathleen High School in North Lakeland, Plant City High School, Lakeland Christian High School, Tenoroc High School in Lakeland, and we have four teams coming from Woodland Academy in Leesburg, Fla. We also have three teams coming from Kentucky,” Boswell said.
“High School fishing is now in 42 of the 50 states. To enter Saturday’s tournament you have to be a member of the Student Anglers Federation,” he said.
First prize in Saturday’s tournament on Kissimmee is a three-foot-tall trophy patterned after the Forest Wood Cup trophy, but it is the Bobby Lane Trophy, named after the Bassmaster Elite and FLW Tour winner Bobby Lane of Lakeland.
“Bobby will present the cup to the team that wins Saturday. He will also donate one of the rod and reel combos he won a major tournament with or one of his jerseys to be raffled off. The kids love it,” Boswell said.
“He will emcee the weigh-in and his sponsors, like Berkley, Yamaha and Spiderwire, are giving so much tackle to the anglers. Bobby also works with Big Toho Marina which will donate a dozen rods to the youngsters.
Each angler is allowed to weigh in three bass, so a team can weigh in a total of six fish and their combined weight is counted. The youth anglers are accompanied by a volunteer captain who operates the boat and verifies their catch.
Anglers must be in the Student Angler Federation. SAF membership is $25 per student (call 580-765-9031 for membership). Entry fee is $10 per boat. Fishing hours 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The registration meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at D.B. Bait & Tackle in Bartow with free hot dogs and drinks.
Bobby Lane Cup
Sat, Dec 15, 2012
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes
Camp Mack’s River Resort
Call Derek Boswell at (863) 513-8877
