PUEBLO, Colo. — Ryan Wood and Turner Mason stayed focused despite tough conditions to claim the 2014 Colorado Bassmaster High School State Championship on Pueblo Reservoir in October.
Wood and Mason, both juniors fishing for Front Range Bass Club, knew that Pueblo was fishing very tough throughout most of the season and they resisted the urge to jump from spot to spot. They stayed focused on one area and sorted through a lot of small fish to find enough bass longer than Pueblo’s tough 15-inch limit to secure the win.
By winning the tournament, Wood and Mason become official members of the Colorado B.A.S.S. Nation state team that will be competing at the 2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Western Divisional.
Wood and Mason also qualify for the 2015 Bassmaster High School National Championship. The second-place team of Grayson Cook and Bryson Galloway from Windsor High School also qualified to fish the National Championship.
In its second year as a team format, the Bassmaster High School program is a work in progress.
“Many kids across the state have been working with their school administrators to get these clubs started,” said Frank Villa, the Colorado B.A.S.S. Nation youth coordinator. “We expect the program to continue to grow in the coming years as more teenagers learn about this great way to connect with the outdoors.”
