ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Trey Schroeder, 16, is planning his future. He’s not sure where he’s going to go to college in a couple of years, but you can bet it will have a bass fishing team. And when he graduates there, Schroeder plans to pursue his dream of becoming a professional angler.
Schroeder, in only 10th grade, is one of the 12 members of the 2016 Bassmaster High School All-American team.
“Trey was born to fish,” said his mother, Debra Schroeder. “It’s his passion and he excels at it. He started his school’s fishing team, finishing sixth in his first tournament, the Missouri high school state championship.”
Schroeder has competed in 12 high school tournaments this past year, winning four of them and getting a Top 5 finish in another.
In addition, he has an eight-year win streak in a local U16 tournament on his home lake, Bull Shoals.
Schroeder also volunteers his time cleaning his local shoreline of debris and sinking the trees he has cut to provide fish habitat.
“He displays leadership on a daily basis and has a passion for fishing unlike anything I’ve ever seen in a student his age,” wrote Andy Butler, one of Schroeder’s teachers at Lindbergh High School.
Schroeder makes it a point to spread his love of fishing to the generation coming up behind him.
“Trey has demonstrated outstanding commitment to fishing by getting poles in the hands of younger kids,” wrote Jerry Cubbage, Ph.D., who runs a charity bass tournament of which Schroeder has been a part for the last decade.
“Every time I have seen Trey over the last few summers, he’s tying on lures for his younger cousins and showing patience in teaching them how to cast safely. He is definitely spreading his love of the sport to these younger kids.”
Several of Schroeder’s teachers and school administrators have noticed his enthusiasm for the sport and have heard his dreams to go pro.
“Trey has a true passion and gift for fishing,” wrote Dr. Ryan Sherp, vice principal at Lindbergh High School. “He strongly believes in fishing as a sport and not just a recreational activity. Trey has the potential to be a full-scholarship candidate in the area of competitive fishing. I look forward to seeing Trey compete at the national level someday.
Keep up with the High School All-American program at Bassmaster.com/AllAmerican.
