(BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – September 11, 2024) —  College coaches will have the chance to meet and evaluate the country’s next generation of young fishing talent when the fourth annual Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine kicks off on Sept. 13 on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala. The Combine allows young anglers to show off their skills and meet with coaches to discuss taking their fishing aspirations to the next level at colleges and universities nationwide.
More than $7 million in scholarships were offered during the first three Combines, and now 97 anglers and representatives from 27 schools will be on hand in Decatur to discuss the potential for a future in competitive bass fishing.
“We look forward to the Bassmaster High School Combine each year,” said Angela Mayo, head coach for the Catawba Valley Community College Red Hawks fishing team. “As a community college, we don’t have the resources that many other colleges and universities have at their disposal. The Combine allows us to see so many talented anglers together in one place on one weekend. We have signed five anglers in the last two years because of the Combine.
“The Combine also gives us an avenue to let people know about all the great things we have going on at CVCC, especially our Marine Mechanical Technology program,” Mayo said. “We have built the only two-year degree in the country in which a student can graduate as a fully certified Yamaha and Mercury Outboard technician. As a trade-focused school, we fill a need for those students who don’t necessarily want to attend a four-year school but want to fish at the collegiate level. The Combine gives us an outlet to connect with those students.”
The High School Combine allows anglers to demonstrate their on-the-water skills in three disciplines — Casting Distance, Technical, and Casting Accuracy. Each discipline will operate on a point system and be timed by an official judge. There are bonus points opportunities in addition to the skills challenges, including a safety quiz, a knot-tying test, and a one-cast challenge.
After the first day of the Combine, schools may select anglers for a “second look” to further evaluate the potential fit for their fishing program.
“Attending the Bassmaster High School Combine is a great experience for the up-and-coming angler looking to fish at the next level,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. tournament manager for the College, High School, and Junior Series. “Being under one roof with 25 or more of the best colleges in the country and meeting with the coaches is an invaluable experience.”
“Decatur is honored to partner with B.A.S.S. to continue serving as host of the Bassmaster High School Combine,” said Don Dukemineer, director of sports development for the Decatur Morgan County Tourism. “Now in our fourth year, our joint efforts with B.A.S.S. continue to strengthen this prestigious event in providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these anglers to showcase their talents. Ingalls Harbor and Pavilion offer the perfect set-up for this unique event, and we are thrilled with this beneficial relationship that highlights Decatur and Morgan County as a fishing destination.”
The following colleges have committed to participating in the Bassmaster High School Combine:
- Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.)
- Bethel University (McKenzie, Tenn.)
- Blue Mountain Christian University (Blue Mountain, Miss.)
- Bryan College (Dayton, Tenn.)
- Campbellsville University (Campbellsville, Ky.)
- Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City, Tenn.)
- Catawba Valley Community College (Hickory, N.C.)
- Dallas Baptist University (Dallas, Texas)
- Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)
- East Texas Baptist University (Marshall, Texas)
- Emmanuel University (Franklin Springs, Ga.)
- Erskine College (Due West, S.C.)
- Faulkner University (Montgomery, Ala.)
- Kentucky Christian University (Grayson, Ky.)
- Lander University (Greenwood, S.C.)
- Louisiana State University Shreveport (Shreveport, La.)
- Murray State College (Tishomingo, Okla.)
- Murray State University (Murray, Ky.)
- Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.)
- Tennessee Wesleyan University (Athens, Tenn.)
- University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.)
- University of Montevallo (Montevallo, Ala.)
- University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.)
- University of Pikeville (Pikeville, Ky.)
- University of South Carolina Union (Union, S.C.)
- Wabash Valley College (Mt. Carmel, Ill.)
- Webber International University (Babson Park, Fla.)
The 2024 Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine is being hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/high-school.
2024 Bassmaster High School Combine Title Sponsor: Skeeter2024 Bassmaster High School Combine Gear Partners: Lew’s, Strike King2024 Bassmaster Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
