DEWAYNE HOLLOWAY
The team of Hunter Davis and Tyler Allenbrand slowly worked their way up the ranks and emerged last Friday as the 2017 Student Angler Federation High School Fishing National Champions.
The pair were representing the Mount Ida Jr. Bass Hookrz fishing club in the senior division after winning the state title a couple weeks prior.
Davis and Allenbrand fished their way into third place with five fish stringers each of the first two days for a total of 29 pounds 12 ounces.
The Mount Ida boys had a monster day Friday, turning in a five fish stringer weighing a whopping 23 pounds 10 ounces for a three day total of 53 pounds 6 ounces. This was good enough to lift them to the top of the standings and the national championship.
The national championship tournament was held on Pickwick Lake in Alabama. The newly crowned national champions advanced to the world championship Saturday, but were unable to match their Friday results, finishing 26th with a two fish weight of 5 pounds 2 ounces.
Professional Angler Mark Davis served as Hunter and Tyler’s boat captain in the tournament.
Mount Ida was also represented in the junior division by “Team Fisher”, Fisher Davis and Fisher Bissell. They advanced to the Junior National Championship after winning the Arkansas State Title in their division.