High School: Central Open begins

Annabelle Guins and Hayden Williams are in the long line to
launch before the Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open on Toledo
Bend Saturday morning near Many, Louisiana. B.A.S.S. officials
reported that 180 two-person teams registered for the open, and the
winning duo will collect prize money for the school’s bass fishing
program. The top five teams here also will earn a spot in the High
School Classic coming up later this month in the Houston (Tex.) area.

Zach Naquin is all smiles as he phones a friend before taking
off at the Central Open.

Ethan LeGare of Lovejoy (Tex.) High School awaits his boat
number to be called in the pre-dawn darkness.

Brady Harmon of Sam Houston (La.) High stands on the bank at
Cypress Bend Marina.

Brandon Comeaux and Jacob Fontenot also of Sam Houston High
hang out before launch begins.

Tyler Boudreaux of E.D. White (La.) High School looks out over
the water as all the young anglers await take-off.

Mason McDonald and Hayden Gould of Sulphur High School wait on the docks.

Mark Van Matre, Dylan Van Matre, and Dustin Van Matre patiently await the day’s fishing action.

Tucker Roe of Natchitoches Central (La.) High works on a lure
while awaiting take-off.

Trevor Dunne, foreground, and Brennan Anderson of St. Amant
(La.) were dockside for the Central Open.

William Clark and Hayes Domingue of Assumption High (La.) are
happy about their chances in the Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open on Toledo Bend.

Colby Badeaux of Live Oak (La.) High reclines on the bow of
his day’s ride. Many of the young anglers were up at 2 or 3 a.m. to
make their way to the launch for a 6:15 a.m. take-off.

Noah Westmoreland of Captain Shreve (La.) High was napping
before the flash of the camera startled him to life.

Andres Barletta of St. Amant (La.) High stretches out on the dock.

Chase Parsons of Hillcrest (Ala.) High is all smiles as he stashes some rods before take-off on Saturday morning.

Fans are a big part of any Bassmaster experience, and that’s
especially true with the high school series. North Desoto (La.) High
School is right up the road from Cypress Bend Marina, and the school
is well represented in the Central Open. Here, fans Roxie Berry,
Duwanna Herring, and Jimmy Berry enjoy some coffee on the cool March morning.

A young angler pauses for the singing of the Star Spangled Banner.

The National Anthem is a part of every Bassmaster event and
you can hear a pin drop as hundreds of people pause in their tracks to salute our country.

Bailey Nelson of Hillcrest (Ala.) High is at front as a group on the marina docks sings the Star Spangled Banner before take-off.

A young fan and her dog were part of a large crowd of
spectators at the Central Open take-off at Cypress Bend Marina on
Saturday morning.

Kyle Little, at front, is teamed with Gage Ulrich. They were
on Boat 1 on Saturday morning.

The B.A.S.S. clock keeps official time at this event and 6:15 a.m. was take-off for the first flight of boats in the Central Open.

Kolby Barry and Austin Venable are pairing on Boat 8 in this tournament.

This angler prepares to catch his boat number from a B.A.S.S.
official upon departure.

This guy has good hands too.

Tyler Boudreaux of E.D. White is going for his boat number. Teammate Andrew Hymel is at left.

Jackson McGee snares his boat number.

The guys on Boat 43 collect their number before heading out
onto Toledo Bend.

Illinois anglers Gage White and Jacob Bocker traveled a long
way to compete in this tournament.

Connor Rushing and Cayden Reily have their faces protected for
the ride ahead. A cool front moved into the area on Friday night and launch temperatures were in the mid 50s.

Hayden and Hunter Pinto are part one of 180 fishing duos competing Saturday on Toledo Bend Reservoir.

Gennah Prince and Hayleigh Moore are an all-female fishing duo in the competition.

Hayden and Hunter Gould are twins competing in this tournament.

Mason Ferachi and Evan Ruiz are paired in the Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open. They were on Boat 99 on Saturday morning.

With half the field already gone, the Cypress Bend Marina still was filled with boats at daybreak. Check out the campers in the background. A lot of the teams are staying nearby.

A few spectators stand on a point jutting out into the harbor as the second half of boats in the field begin to take off.

Logan Guy and Micah Hubbard get ready to shoot out into the morning.

Dillon Wilson of Northlake Christian School in Covington, La. sits up front as he and teammate Christopher Capdebosq prepare for take-off.

Wilson and Capdebosq are along for the ride as boat captain Richard Capdebosq fires up the engine.

Bass boats spit water behind them as they scream out onto Toledo Bend.

Some of the final boats to take-off in the Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open pull away from the marina. They’ll be back this afternoon though, when anglers will weigh-in beginning at 2:15 a.m. Each team can weigh its top three bass. May the best team win!