LINCOLN, Neb. – Eric Soe and Payne Ahrens of Gretna won the 2013 Nebraska State High School Fishing Tournament on July 27 at Harlan County Reservoir.
The Gretna Dragon team, with coach/boat driver Cory Roll, weighed in a five-fish limit totaling 15 pounds. Soe also caught the tournament’s biggest largemouth bass at 5 pounds, 8 ounces.
Soe and Ahrens advance to the regional tournament Oct. 5 at Lake Texoma, on the Oklahoma-Texas border. The regional champion advances to nationals next spring.
The Southern Valley Eagles team of Ian Coffey, Quentin Hadan, and coach Jim Williams finished second with four bass for a total of 14 pounds, 14 ounces. The Lincoln County Bass Bosses team of Drew Bailey, Jacob Zimbelman and coach Doug Zimbelman finished third with four bass totaling 14 pounds, 2 ounces.
Fourteen of the 21 competing teams brought 35 largemouth bass to the weigh-in station.
The state tournament is a cooperative program between the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and The Bass Federation – Student Angler Federation (TBF-SAF). The High School Fishing program includes a state tournament for every state in the continental United States, as well as Ontario, Canada. Two-person teams from grades 9 through 12 compete and are paired with a coach who provides a boat for competition.