All-American team fishes Texas Fest

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The 2017 Bassmaster High School All-American team participated in a special Bassmaster High School All-American Bass Tournament held in conjunction with the 2017 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department event out of Lufkin, Texas. Each All-American angler will be paired with an Elite Series pro for the one-day derby to be held on a nearby fishery. Here Bassmaster Elite Series pro Darrell Ocamica and All-American Tyler Lubbat prepare to launch on Lake Naconiche.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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High School All-American Bryer Pennington of Arkansas waits in his partner's boat.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Bassmaster Elite Series pro Shane Lineburger and High School All-American Colby Miller ready the boat for launch.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Elite Series pro Skylar Hamilton works on tackle to prepare for his day of fishing with High School All-American Dalton Combs of Missouri.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Jared Lintner and Kyle Palmar shake hands before getting out on the water.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Ocamica prepares his rods before the Bassmaster High School All-Americans launch on Lake Naconiche.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Bassmaster High School All-American Reese Jones and his family meet with his partner for the day, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brett Preuett.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Longtime Elite Series pro walks with High School All-American Jared Goebel of Texas.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Klein and Goebel prepare for takeoff.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Palaniuk and High School All-American Oakley Connor prepare for their day.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Elite Series pro David Williams and partner Perry Marvin of New York wait to head out on the lake.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Hamilton and Combs ready to take off.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bradley Roy and High School All-American Logan Parks take off on Lake Naconiche.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Hamilton and Combs fish a stumpy area.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Williams and Marvin work for a bite.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Williams hooks into one and swings it onboard.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Williams and Marvin weigh their bass and record its weight with a photo. Each of the teams were able to count the heaviest single bass for the pro and the high schooler.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Pennington makes a cast.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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And sets the hook!

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Pennington prepares to make another cast.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Roy and Parks await a bite.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Parks sets the hook.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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And, he's got one on the line!

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Hamilton and Combs make a run to their next spot.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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As it starts to rain, Marvin and Williams put on rain gear and keep fishing.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Lintner and Palmer work for a bite.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Palmer swings one onboard.

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Palaniuk and Connor work some stumps for a bite.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Connor has got one one and reels it to the boat.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Palaniuk celebrates Connors fish!

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They weigh the bass and document with a selfie.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Klein and Goebel work a heavily wooded area.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Klein sets the hook on a bite.

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And lands the fish!

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Klein points sometime out to Goebel.

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And, Goebel hooks up too!

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Goebel holds up his catch for the camera.

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Bassmaster Elite Series pro Koby Kreiger and High School All-American Cade Fortenberry work for a bite.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Kreiger hooks into one.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Fortenberry brings it in to get ready for a picture.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Lintner and Palmer fish some vegetation close to shore.

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Palaniuk makes another cast and Connor works for a bite.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Ocamica and Lubbat fish a wooded area.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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"I really learned a lot from Brett," said Jones of former College Classic qualifier, Preuett. "It was a blast!"

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Roy and Parks works for a bite.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Lineburger and Miller enjoy their day out on the water.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Bassmaster Elite Series pro James Niggemeyer and High School All-American Trace O'Dell fish some stump and the shoreline.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Partners Ocamica and Lubbat take the stage at 2017 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The team weighed in 4 pounds, 8 ounces, for their two largest fish.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Roy and Parks finished with 6 pounds, 3 ounces.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Klein and Goebel weighed in a combined two-fish total of 7 pounds, 13 ounces.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Pennington and Tacoronte finished with 7 pounds, 8 ounces.

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Kreiger and Fortenberry talk about their day, bringing 7 pounds, 2 ounces, to the scales.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Williams and Marvin brought in a total of 5 pounds, 4 ounces.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Lineburger and Miller took the stage to discuss their day and 9 pounds, 8 ounces, they brought to the scales.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Hamilton and Combs weighed in 10-3, with a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass to anchor their total.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Preuett and Jones took the stage to talk about their day.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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When Reese Jones of Rogers, Ark., received notice that he had been selected as one of 12 members of the 2017 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by DICK'S Sporting Goods, he was ecstatic. Winning the honor meant he would be able to fish with a Bassmaster Elite Series pro during a special tournament in conjunction with the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Then his mother, Cheri, broke the bad news. “I pointed out that Reese’s graduation was the same weekend, and of course he couldn't go to the tournament. At that point, both he and his father dropped their forks and said that he had to go to Texas." Cheri was outvoted, and her son spent part of graduation weekend fishing Lake Naconiche, a trophy bass fishery near Nacogdoches, Texas. As a compromise, Cheri Jones acquired a cap and gown for Reese to wear as he crossed the weigh-in stage at the George H. Henderson Jr. Expo Center Saturday. He would only wear the cap, though.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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Lintner and Palmer took the stage to weigh in a total of 5 pounds, 3 ounces.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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NIggemeyer and O'Dell spoke about their day on the water and what it means to be a High School All-American. "It means a lot to be named an All-American," O'Dell said. "There are thousands of kids across the nation that are in this sport now because it has expanded so much, and to be included in the Top 12 across the whole country is an honor in itself."

Photo: Seigo Saito

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The heaviest combined weight was turned in by the team of Oakley Connor of Travelers Rest, S.C., and Brandon Palaniuk.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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He and Connor weighed in 12 pounds, 3 ounces to top the 12-team field. Palaniuk had a 5-14, and Connor caught a 6-5.

Photo: Seigo Saito

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The 12 student anglers were selected for All-American honors by judges who reviewed more than 380 nominations from 40 states. The program, now in its third year, recognizes outstanding young anglers in grades 10 through 12 for excellence in bass tournament competition, leadership, community service and academics.

Photo: Seigo Saito

All-American team fishes Texas Fest

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