Brady Pinwar and Alec Albrecht of Midland High School have won the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors with a total of 21 pounds, 9 ounces.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.
June 11, 2022

BAY CITY, Mich. — Despite giant waves and heavy winds that prevented them from effectively fishing their preferred areas, Brady Pinwar and Alec Albrecht from Midland High School became repeat champions on Saginaw Bay by catching 21 pounds, 9 ounces to win the 2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

“Once B.A.S.S. announced they were coming here for another high school tournament, instantly we were both pumped and were like, ‘We have to go back-to-back.’ We have some good history out here and got it done,” Pinwar said.

Pinwar and Albrecht were followed by Fenton High School anglers Mitch Straffon and Hank Sturm with 20-7 and the Freeland High School duo of Brayden Ruckman and Nate Helmreich with 20-6, both teams that finished inside the Top 3 during the 2021 event.

While Saginaw Bay serves as their home lake, Albrecht said winning last year’s tournament helped their mental game this year.

“We came into this tournament knowing we had it in us and knowing the same spots stuck around,” he said. “We just believed in ourselves.”

Using an area similar to the one that produced 23-4 during their victory a year ago, Pinwar and Albrecht targeted spawning flats where they could see the smallmouth set up on bed. A late boat draw Friday night was just the beginning of a number of obstacles they had to overcome to win as the wind kicked up earlier than expected, making sight fishing extremely difficult.

“The waves and the wind were not on our side at all,” Albrecht said. “We were sitting in 5-footers all day trying to catch fish. We stumbled across a few later in the day and then finally on one of our last casts we caught the biggest one.”

“There wasn’t a lot of sun out either,” Pinwar added. “It was obviously hard to see them. For the first half of the day, we were blind casting to try and catch some cruisers. They were either pre- or postspawn.”

The morning was not as productive as they hoped, as they only landed three keepers by noon. Around that time, however, the sun came out and they were able to see a couple of bass on beds.

“We went up to one bed and there were two fish on it, and we caught them on back-to-back casts,” Pinwar said. “Then we went to one of the big ones we had marked. We caught it at the last minute and went in and got it done.”

All of their bass were caught on a drop-shot rig.

Straffon and Strum wanted to head out to the big water and catch smallmouth as well, but when they completed the idle up the Saginaw River and evaluated the conditions on Saginaw Bay, they turned back and pivoted to the largemouth bite.

“I wasn’t too happy with it, but at the end of the day our safety matters the most,” said Straffon, a member of the 2021 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. “We knew we had a few fish back here. We didn’t know it would be that much. We put our heads down all day and flipped.”

Using two different colored jigs, they targeted a stretch of main-river bank lined with rocks and laydowns. Most of their bass were located next to the bank while a couple bit as they brought their jigs closer to the drop-off.

“We knew a lot of these fish were super pressured,” Strum said. “We both picked up a jig. We really moved slowly and they would pick it up and swim off the drop.”

Dallas Taylor and Hayden Thomas from Stilwell High School caught the Big Bass of the tournament, a 4-13 largemouth.

Saginaw Bay was the final regular-season event of the year, and now qualified teams will set their sights on Lake Hartwell for the 2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors Aug. 11-13.

2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors 6/11-6/12
Saginaw Bay, Bay City MI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Brady Pinwar – Alec Albrecht Midland High School 0
Day 1: 5 21-09 Total: 5 21-09
2. Mitch Straffon – Hank Sturm Fenton High School 0
Day 1: 5 20-07 Total: 5 20-07
3. Brayden Ruckman – Nate Helmreich Freeland High School 0
Day 1: 5 20-06 Total: 5 20-06
4. Reece Keeney – Bryce Moder Northeast Wisconsin Bass 0
Day 1: 5 19-09 Total: 5 19-09
5. Derek Davis – Connor Jaco Mt.Pleasant Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 18-09 Total: 5 18-09
6. Mason Snider – Dalton Benson Mount Juliet Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 18-09 Total: 5 18-09
7. Presley Lannom – Morgan Lannom Mt Juliet Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 17-12 Total: 5 17-12
8. Cole Jimkoski – Jack Sprague Freeland High School 0
Day 1: 5 17-11 Total: 5 17-11
9. Max Himmel – Tyler Morris Catholic High School of Baton Ro 0
Day 1: 5 17-10 Total: 5 17-10
9. Ryan Kahut – Noah Varitek Michigan A1 Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 17-10 Total: 5 17-10
11. Andrew Haney – Kenneth Young Martin County High School 0
Day 1: 5 16-11 Total: 5 16-11
12. Carter Pjesky – JD McBroom Kaneland High School 0
Day 1: 5 16-08 Total: 5 16-08
13. Dallas Taylor – Hayden Thomas Stilwell High School 0
Day 1: 5 16-05 Total: 5 16-05
14. Austin Benson – Brendan Brown Mount Juliet 0
Day 1: 5 16-02 Total: 5 16-02
15. Trey Richardson – Reid Luckett Free State Bass 0
Day 1: 5 15-14 Total: 5 15-14
16. Lainey Judson – Ella Winchell Terre Haute North HS 0
Day 1: 5 15-11 Total: 5 15-11
17. Kyle Johnson – Carson Kellogg Black Swamp Youth Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
17. Reece Nixon – John Stark Soddy Daisy High School 0
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
19. Adam Dionne – Zach Waters Eastside Elites 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Total: 5 15-02
19. Jerrod Haney – Tanner Young Martin County High School 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Total: 5 15-02
21. Alex Bowen – Aaron Mills Cardinal Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 14-11 Total: 5 14-11
22. Kyle Chouinard – Caleb Cook East side Elites Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 14-05 Total: 5 14-05
22. Luke Somerville – Leland Fox Gaylord High School 0
Day 1: 5 14-05 Total: 5 14-05
24. Cole Berry – Graham Palmer Terre Haute North High School 0
Day 1: 5 14-04 Total: 5 14-04
25. Tyler Williams – Blaise Gatrell Terre Haute North HS 0
Day 1: 5 13-15 Total: 5 13-15
26. Tristan Fawley – Van Price Carlson High School 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Total: 5 13-14
27. Nick Seitz – Brock Vogel 419 fishing 0
Day 1: 5 13-12 Total: 5 13-12
28. Lainie Holbert – Sarah Swindle Riverside Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 13-03 Total: 5 13-03
29. Jake Brown – Preston Kolisek Loretto Mustangs Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 13-02 Total: 5 13-02
29. Colten Dickerson – Gabe Aldrich Fishhawx 0
Day 1: 5 13-02 Total: 5 13-02
29. Jack Swihart – Rylan Hamlin Jackson Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 13-02 Total: 5 13-02
32. Nathan Frank – Alex Balla Howell high school 0
Day 1: 5 12-11 Total: 5 12-11
33. Benjamin Hester – Mason Caldwell Rhea County High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-09 Total: 5 12-09
34. Ryan Rang – Ben Rickard Lakeland High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-08 Total: 5 12-08
35. Christian Misciagna – Logan Wood Oneida Lake HS Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Total: 5 12-07
36. Luke Bailey – Luke Barriger Meridian Early College High Scho 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Total: 5 12-06
36. Brett Mouw – Logan Kinsella The Hill Toppers 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Total: 5 12-06
36. Nathan Reynolds – Luke Malik Backwoods Bassin 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Total: 5 12-06
39. Wyatt Carr – Jamie Neel Reeths-Puffer High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-04 Total: 5 12-04
39. Gus Dietrich – Max Phillpotts Powers Catholic High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-04 Total: 5 12-04
41. Alex Herter – Barret Vanmarter Howell High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-02 Total: 5 12-02
41. Andrew Lithgow – Pavel Everest Stevenson highschool 0
Day 1: 5 12-02 Total: 5 12-02
43. Tanner Wolf – Kaleb Casler Dewitt High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-01 Total: 5 12-01
44. Cade Calkins – Brayden Vallie Fruitport High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-00 Total: 5 12-00
45. Harry Richter – Jacob Piniatoglou Saline High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-14 Total: 5 11-14
46. Nick Fashho – Lucas Fashho Eastside Elites 0
Day 1: 5 11-13 Total: 5 11-13
47. Burke Aidan – Caleb Horn Martin County High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 Total: 5 11-12
48. William Cothran – Taedem Ashworth Mt. Pleasant High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-09 Total: 5 11-09
48. Luke Lowery – Connor Rumohr Howell High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-09 Total: 5 11-09
48. Gavyn Rapp – Israel Limon Black Swamp Youth Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 11-09 Total: 5 11-09
48. Ryan Seitz – Brady Osborn Southeastern Bass Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 11-09 Total: 5 11-09
52. Dalton Polega – Sarah Hable Freeland High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-06 Total: 5 11-06
53. C.J. Stanley – Colton Parten Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 11-02 Total: 5 11-02
54. Stone Grove – Wyatt Hamilton Creek Wood High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-01 Total: 5 11-01
55. Corey Parsley – Weston Jude Martin County High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Total: 5 10-14
56. Avery Shoemaker – Samuel Shoemaker Buford High School 0
Day 1: 4 10-13 Total: 4 10-13
57. Camden Judson – Will Gorrell Terre Haute North HS 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Total: 5 10-12
58. Hunter Kellogg – Tim Fulk Renegades Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Total: 5 10-08
59. Connor Dobrinski – Gage Brouwer Zeeland Fishhawx 0
Day 1: 5 10-06 Total: 5 10-06
60. Riley Spytma – Trent Van Dam Reeths-Puffer High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-04 Total: 5 10-04
61. Henry Fox – Grady Schultz Fruitport High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Total: 5 10-02
62. Evan Ludlow – Mackenzie Taylor Fruitport High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Total: 5 10-02
63. Dylan Mcgee – Caleb Kidder Licking Valley 0
Day 1: 4 09-09 Total: 4 09-09
64. Aaron King – Waupaca Junior Bass Busters 0
Day 1: 5 09-07 Total: 5 09-07
65. Kayden Waller – Andrew Schoenemann Mt. Juliet high school 0
Day 1: 3 09-03 Total: 3 09-03
66. Carson Aarup – Kyle Smith Downeast Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Total: 5 08-12
67. William Hoskins – Joshua Vanderpool Wilson Christian Academy 0
Day 1: 3 08-12 Total: 3 08-12
68. Jack Miner – Colin Hull Detroit Catholic Central 0
Day 1: 3 08-10 Total: 3 08-10
69. Annie Lassiter – Madison Pendergraph warren county pioneer anglers 0
Day 1: 4 08-08 Total: 4 08-08
70. Remington Barkley – Carlie Mitchell Hartland 0
Day 1: 4 08-06 Total: 4 08-06
71. Connor Wallace – Sophia Balla Howell High School 0
Day 1: 3 08-05 Total: 3 08-05
72. Thomas Hinshaw – Northville High School 0
Day 1: 3 07-00 Total: 3 07-00
73. Cason Mcnutt – Mt Juliet High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-12 Total: 3 05-12
74. Kolby Angell – Evan Powell Iowa youth fishing league 0
Day 1: 3 05-08 Total: 3 05-08
75. Connor Racine – Drew Brzys Dexter Highschool 0
Day 1: 2 05-07 Total: 2 05-07
76. Alex Standerfer – Collin Mcglin New London High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-02 Total: 3 05-02
77. Nathaniel Terbush – Dima Griffiths Dexter High School 0
Day 1: 2 05-02 Total: 2 05-02
78. Brendan Shinn – Owen Silverson Dexter High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-10 Total: 3 04-10
79. Jacob Policka – Collin Jolman Fruitport High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-09 Total: 3 04-09
80. Peter Duffy – Bryce Formsma GR Bass boys Northview 0
Day 1: 2 04-08 Total: 2 04-08
81. Matthew Wenzell – Nathaniel Wenzell Midland High 0
Day 1: 3 04-07 Total: 3 04-07
82. Jack Hay – Jakob Stamper howell high school 0
Day 1: 2 04-07 Total: 2 04-07
83. Marco Wolf – Jake Maiberger Howell 0
Day 1: 1 04-01 Total: 1 04-01
84. Paxton Giem – Nolan Little Boyne City High School 0
Day 1: 2 03-15 Total: 2 03-15
85. Blake Marcum – William Copley Louisa Bass Club High School 0
Day 1: 1 03-13 Total: 1 03-13
86. Colin Oldfield – Mario Manzardo Lakeland 0
Day 1: 2 03-06 Total: 2 03-06
87. Jeffrey Mansfield – Garrett Schultz Howell High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-14 Total: 1 02-14
88. Mitch Porter – Chase Aaron White Lake Lakeland 0
Day 1: 1 02-11 Total: 1 02-11
89. Miller Pomper – Louie Alpers Benzie Central 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Total: 1 02-04
90. Alex Decia – Jaylee Lesniak Howell High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-01 Total: 1 02-01
91. Cayden Geurts – Andon Harwood Freeland High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-00 Total: 1 02-00
92. Chase Quillin – Hunter Alviar Reeths-Puffer High School 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Total: 1 01-08
93. Cougar Fagan – Caden Adams Michigan bass bandits 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Josh Garbarino – Nathan Akahoshi Livonia 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Clay George – Wayland Adkisson BGA Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Colter Mahabir – Matthew Swanson Midland High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Miles Smith – Casen Rogers Central Lafourche High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Logan Ware – Jack Romatz Midland High 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Dallas Taylor Stilwell, OK 04-13 $0.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 63 384 1023-00
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63 384 1023-00