B.A.S.S.: Gowen & Tucker Win

Mitchell Gowen and Brianna Tucker A Mitchell Gowen and Brianna Tucker of Decatur Heritage outfished 65 other high school teams to win the 2013 B.A.S.S. High School Invitational on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Saturday by bringing in 16 pounds, 15 ounces of largemouth bass. This was the first event of its kind and netted the team a spot in the 2014 B.A.S.S. High School Classic, which will be held in conjunction with the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. Gowen and Tucker will be joined in the Classic by the rest of the Top 8 finishers from the invitational.

“I just want to thank God for giving us the opportunity to fish,” said Tucker, who was responsible for four of the five fish the team weighed in Saturday. “I also want to thank our boat captain.”

Norman Brown, their boat captain, said that things did not start off with a bang, but his team stayed focus and for that he was proud of them. “Around 9 [a.m.] I think they only had one fish,” Brown said.

“Once we started catching them, it kind of happened all at once,” Tucker said.

“She caught the first three back-to-back-to-back,” Brown said.

That initial burst was triggered by water generated through Guntersville Dam. The team fished a few spots upriver from Decatur, and it wasn’t until the current arrived that the team finally found their groove. “The last two we had to scrape for,” Brown said. “We probably caught 10 fish. The biggest one they weighed in was around 4 and 1/2 [pounds] and the smallest was about 2 and 3/4 [pounds].”

Finding a consistent, quality bite helped Decatur Heritage overcome some of the bigger fish weighed in Saturday, including the 5-3 Carhartt Big Bass caught by Jake Turnbloom and JT Russell of Briarwood Christian.

The majority of the fish that Tucker and Gowen brought to the scales came on a Norman DD22 crankbait. Gowen also caught one fish dragging a big worm.

In addition to Tucker’s and Gowen’s 2014 B.A.S.S. High School Classic berth, the duo and Brown received exclusive backstage privileges for the entire 2014 Bassmaster Classic.

Joining Tucker and Gowen in the 2014 B.A.S.S. High School Classic are runners-up Jarrett Martin and Billy Powers of Gallia Academy High School, third-place finishers Tanner Jones and Clay Teague of Tuscaloosa County High School, fourth-place finishers Beau Ashcraft and Shawn Zellers of Wabash Valley Bassmasters, fifth-place finishers John Garrett and Peyton Lyons of Obion County Student Anglers, sixth-place finishers Ryan Winchester and Justin Burris of Clinton High School, seventh-place finishers Jake Lee and Jacob Mashburn of Clinton High School, and eighth-place finishers Ben Stone and Christopher Bensel of Dixie High School.

Mitchell Gowen and Brianna Tucker
 
About B.A.S.S.
For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
 
The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications — Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times — comprehensive website Bassmaster.com and ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
 
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, B.A.S.S. Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
 
B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.
 
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Media Contact: Cara Clark, 205-313-0955, cclark@bassmaster.com, or Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, dprecht@bassmaster.com.
 

B.A.S.S. High School Invitational
7/20/2013 – 7/20/2013 Wheeler Lake – Ingalls Harbor – Decatur, AL
                                                                                                                                                                                                           
ANGLER                         ANGLER              SCHOOL        # Fish     # Live       Lbs –Oz       #Fish   # Live       Lbs – Oz
1 Mitchell Gowen          Brianna Tucker    Decatur Heritage Fishing Eagles     5              5                16-15           5           5                16-15
2 Jarrett Martin              Billy Powers           Gallia Academy High School             5              5                15- 7             5           5                15- 7
3 Tanner Jones              Clay  Teague        Tuscaloosa County High School       5              3                14- 5             5           3                14- 5
4 Beau Ashcraft             Shawn Zellers      Wabash Valley Bassmasters            5              5                13- 2             5           5                13- 2
5 John Garrett                Peyton Lyons          Obion County Student Anglers        5              5                13- 1             5           5                13- 1
6 Ryan Winchester        Justin Burris              Clinton High School                              5              4                12-13           5           4                12-13
7 Jake Lee                      Jacob Mashburn    Clinton High School                              5              5                12- 9             5           5                12- 9
8 Ben Stone                   Christopher Bensel    Dixie High School                                  5              5                12- 7             5           5                12- 7
9 Bailey Dutton              Houston Calvert     Hayden High School                            5              5                11-15           5           5                11-15
10 Logan Tate                Ben Whorton           Southside Fishing Team                     5              5                11-10           5           5                11-10
11 Lee Mattox                Mason Jones           Cullman High School                            5              5                11- 9             5           5                11- 9
12 Daniel Hambright      Ryan Michael          LA Anglers                                               5              5                11- 1             5           5                11- 1
13 Zeke Gossett              Hayden Bartee       Pell City High School                            5              5                10-15           5           5                10-15
14 Andrew Brackett        Tallen Manis           Sequoyah High School Chiefs           5              5                10-14           5           5                10-14
15 Taylor Teague            Ross Springer          Tuscaloosa County High School       5              5                10- 9             5           5                10- 9
16 Tyler Green                 Hunter Harris           Gardendale Rockets Bass Fishing Club 5      5                10- 2             5           5                10- 2
16 Jonathan Pool             Dalton Pitts              Obion County Student Anglers        5              5                10- 2             5           5                10- 2
18 Ryan Shields              Bradley Britten        Hazel Green High School                    4              4                9- 7               4           4                9- 7
19 Jay Lawson                 Brendan Reavis      Corrigan-Camden High School         5              5                9- 0               5           5                9- 0
20 Luke Plunkett                                                  Victory Christian                                    5              5                8-12              5           5                8-12
21 Bronson     Jones         Will Hamilton          Arab High School                                  5              5                8- 7               5           5                8- 7
22 Justin Michael              Bowen Johnson      LA Anglers                                               3              3                8- 3               3           3                8- 3
23 Jake Turnbloom           JT Russel                   Briarwood Christian School                4              4                7- 4               4           4                7- 4
24 Davis Whitten              Ben Johnson            Muscle Shoals                                        5              5                7- 2               5           5                7- 2
25 Tyler McFall                 McKenzie Blair        Sequoyah High School Chiefs           3              3                6-14              3           3                6-14
26 Blake Albertson           Abby Albertson      Bloomington High School                   5              5                6-10              5           5                6-10
26 Caleb Luzader              Cody  Schultz           Walker Valley Bass Anglers              5              5                6-10              5           5                6-10
28 Allen Wilson                Matthew Lamastus Obion County Student Anglers     5              5                6- 6               5           5                6- 6
29 Andrew     Calvin         David Fitzgerald     Tuscaloosa County High School       2              1                6- 5               2           1                6- 5
30 Marc Gotcher               Brent Butler              Muscle Shoals                                        4              4                6- 2               4           4                6- 2
31 Christian Chavez         Ethan Howard         Clayton Comets                                     5              5                5-14              5           5                5-14
31 Winston    Wade           Zack Blanton           Gallia Academy High School             5              5                5-14              5           5                5-14
33 Matthew Cross             Landen Bradley      Siegel High School                                5              5                5-11              5           5                5-11
33 Jacob Lawler                 Grant Hughes          Forrest County Bass Busters             5              5                5-11              5           5                5-11
33 Andrew     Ward           Garrett Stevens      Ola High School                                     5              5                5-11              5           5                5-11
36 Richard Krout                Mason Wise            Tuscaloosa County High School       2              2                5- 6               2           2                5- 6
37 Colton Morton               Chris Wilson             Bradley Central High School              5              5                5- 3               5           5                5- 3
38 Kevin Krout                   Matt Shiew              Tuscaloosa County High School       5              5                5- 0               5           5                5- 0
39 Austin Foster                 Sam Fox                    White Plains High School                   3              3                5- 0               3           3                5- 0
40 Laura Foshee                  Reed Elkins              Gardendale Rockets Bass Fishing Club 3      3                4-15              3           3                4-15
41 Noah Pescitelli               Thomas Zaczek      Mill Creek Bass Masters                    5              5                4-11              5           5                4-11
42 DJ Barber                        Reid Connor             Gardendale Rockets Bass Fishing Club 3      3                4- 8               3           3                4- 8
42 Evan Isbell                      Jacob Jeffreys         Muscle Shoals                                        3              3                4- 8               3           3                4- 8
44 Landon Smith                  Jerrmiah Hall           Decatur Heritage Fishing Eagles     3              3                4- 7               3           3                4- 7
45 Gabe Cheatham               Daniel Goforth        Sequoyah High School Chiefs           4              4                4- 4               4           4                4- 4
46 Blake Roszell                  Jonathan Hollingsworth White Plains High School         2              2                4- 3               2           2                4- 3
47 Katie Krout                     Jesslyn McNutt       Tuscaloosa County High School       5              5                4- 1               5           5                4- 1
48 Justin Payne                   Will Yarbrough        Muscle Shoals                                        3              3                4- 1               3           3                4- 1
49 Tyler Power                    Maddox Bailey       LA Anglers                                               2              2                3-12              2           2                3-12
50 Will Phillips                    Cole Phillips              White Plains High School                   1              1                3- 8               1           1                3- 8
51 Matt Allen                      Will Hannah             Tuscaloosa County High School       2              2                3- 2               2           2                3- 2
52 Joseph Lacy                    Branna Wyatt         Pell City High School                            2              2                2-13              2           2                2-13
53 Grant Ray                        Matthew Ramey   Tuscaloosa County High School       2              1                2-10              2           1                2-10
54 Evan Dodson                   Mason Williams     Gardendale Rockets Bass Fishing Club 2      2                2- 8               2           2                2- 8
55 Austin Mize                    Clay Hogeland        Hayden High School                            1              1                2- 7               1           1                2- 7
56 Thomas     Jennings        Sully Jeter                 Briarwood Christian School                2              2                2- 1               2           2                2- 1
57 Rachel Hollingsworth     Morgan Prickett White Plains High School                          1              1                2- 1               1           1                2- 1
58 Jon Halston-Hill              Kyle Hawkins          Gardendale Rockets Bass Fishing Club 2      2                1-14              2           2                1-14
59 Jordan Dill                       Preston Kendrick    Gardendale Rockets Bass Fishing Club 2      2                1- 8               2           2                1- 8
60 Jake Mims                                                            Chapel Hill HS                                         1              1                1- 7               1           1                1- 7
61 Jacob George                   Daxton Kirk              St Clair County Saints                          1              1                1- 6               1           1                1- 6
62 Jared Green                      Kaitlyn Michael      LA Anglers                                               1              1                0-15              1           1                0-15
62 Taylor Lindley                  Jonathan Cimino    Decatur Heritage Fishing Eagles     1              1                0-15              1           1                0-15
64 Colton Cox                                                      Russellville High School                      0              0                0- 0               0           0                0- 0
64 Derek Pearson                  William Nall             Anglers for Kids                                     0              0                0- 0               0           0                0- 0
64 Hunter Ward                     Dee White                Anglers for Kids                                     0              0                  0- 0             0           0                0- 0
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
BIG BASS        Day                             School                         Lbs-Oz                                                                                                                                       
1 Jake Turnbloom & JT Russell       Briarwood Christian      5-3                                 

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