As most schools are putting the wraps on sports for the spring, students on area fishing teams are entering the best time of year for serious practice. Summer vacation offers many perks, and the long days of the season provide adequate opportunity for making as many casts as possible.
“Kids are so busy with activities these days, it’s hard for them to fit another activity in their schedules,” said Festus High School fishing team head coach Jay Beffa.
Organized practices are scheduled once a month, he said, but that doesn’t mean the anglers can’t find their way to some water to work on the tricks and techniques that could pay off for them in the tournament season.
The Festus team includes 62 boys and girls fishing in the high school and junior divisions. The teams include students in fourth through 12th grade. Coach Gary Hollern said his Seckman High School fishing team is up to 40 anglers for the upcoming season. Both programs started in 2021.
“The school recognizes us as a club sport, which means we get to use the school’s name and cafeteria for practices,” Hollern said. “The seeds were originally planted by Zach Hobbs and Sam Cox when they were in the 11th grade. Both of these young men are excellent anglers who helped to lay the ground work for the team to grow.”
Both Seckman and Festus participate in the National Youth Fishing Association tournaments. The teams competed in qualifying events this spring at Bull Shoals, Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake. The state championship is June 7 at Stockton Lake, northwest of Springfield.
“This is a team tournament format consisting of two anglers, and a boat captain,” Hollern said. “The boat captain drives the boat and can coach the anglers but is not allowed to cast or fish in any manner. The goal is to weigh in the heaviest five bass.”
Finding boats and boat captains presents the biggest challenge for the teams, both coaches agreed. While many captains are family members, other area residents have made commitments to help kids get on the water for tournaments.
“This season we had two boats (not affiliated with the angler) that were able to be used to ensure we did not leave any kids on the dock,” Hollern said. “Boat captains give up their weekends to help get these anglers out into God’s great outdoors. We have had parents without boats, who see how much their kids are off the Xbox and enjoying the sport, go out an buy a boat.”
The fishing teams also rely on sponsors to help with funding and providing equipment.
“Being a 501(c)3 we been extremely fortunate to have several returning sponsors,” Beffa said. “We have several title sponsors that sponsor each individual tournament. We’ve been extremely blessed to be able to partner with area businesses to develop our own scholarship program above and beyond what the anglers could earn from competing in the tournaments.”
Because the programs are club teams, student anglers don’t have to be residents of the specific school districts to participate.
“If you have a young angler who is hooked on fishing. It does not matter what school they go to, you are invited to be on this team,” Hollern said. “The fish doesn’t know if the angler is young, old, boy, or girl. Anyone can win on any given day. It doesn’t matter how fast you can run or how strong you are. It’s not you against another person, it’s you against the fish.”
The Seckman coach also shared a favorite fishing quote of his from 20th century novelist John Buchan: “The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.”
Anyone hoping for more information about the Seckman team can call Hollern at 314-562-2001. To reach Coach Beffa call 573-963-6290.
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine.
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