Let’s discuss the new sport in town. While classics like baseball and football have been around for a long time, bass fishing has been a popular activity since the 1700s, primarily for sustenance. It wasn’t until the 1960s that tournament fishing gained popularity. Today, tournament bass fishing is a huge sport, with competitions at every level, including professional, amateur, college, and even high school.
Texarkana has its own high school and junior fishing trail called The Ark-La-Tex Bassmaster High School and Junior Fishing Trail, which covers four states around Texarkana: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. The trail is open to all schools and homeschooled kids of any age. The first tournament of the season took place at Lake Wright Patman on September 14th, with nearly 60 boats participating and over $5000 in scholarships awarded. First place even received a $2000 scholarship. It’s incredible to think that fishing could help pay for college!
The Ark-La-Tex Bassmaster High School and Junior Fishing Trail is a Bassmaster-sanctioned trail that extends beyond our local area. It offers berths into the National Championship, where participants can earn a full ride to college. The next tournament is scheduled for October 12th at Caddo Lake, known for its huge bass.
For more information and sign-up details, visit their Facebook page @Ark-La-Tex Bassmaster or contact their Director, Jason Townsend, at (903) 556-3603.
