Day 3 with the champs

See how the High School National Champions schooled the competition on Kentucky Lake!

Posted on
On the final day of the Costa Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by TNT Fireworks, we caught up with the tournament leaders to see if they created any fireworks of their own on Kentucky Lake.
On the final day of the Costa Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by TNT Fireworks, we caught up with the tournament leaders to see if they created any fireworks of their own on Kentucky Lake.
Alex Heintze and Justin Watts from the Livingston Parish Bassmasters fished around flooded bushes and small patches of gator grass at Kentucky Lake, and every keeper fish they brought to the scales came off of a 150- to 200- yard stretch of shallow shoreline cover.
Alex Heintze and Justin Watts from the Livingston Parish Bassmasters fished around flooded bushes and small patches of gator grass at Kentucky Lake, and every keeper fish they brought to the scales came off of a 150- to 200- yard stretch of shallow shoreline cover.
Most of the time, Heintze would attack the ample cover with a Texas rig tube while Watts threw a poppin' frog around the shallow targets.
Most of the time, Heintze would attack the ample cover with a Texas rig tube while Watts threw a poppin’ frog around the shallow targets.
These two anglers worked flawlessly as a team, knowing when to switch trolling motor duties based on the cover coming up in their area.
These two anglers worked flawlessly as a team, knowing when to switch trolling motor duties based on the cover coming up in their area.
The high water with ample shad and bluegill around the cover was a key reason these anglers did so well in one area.
The high water with ample shad and bluegill around the cover was a key reason these anglers did so well in one area.
Day 1 Heintze and Watts weighed 20 pounds, 10 ounces and led by less than a pound. On Day 2 they extended their lead to 9-7 after bringing 23-4 while some other top teams struggled.
Day 1 Heintze and Watts weighed 20 pounds, 10 ounces and led by less than a pound. On Day 2 they extended their lead to 9-7 after bringing 23-4 while some other top teams struggled.
We showed up around 7:30 a.m., nearly two hours after launch. They already had around 17 pounds when we arrived. We just missed them catching a 6-pounder, a miss that is par for the course for a photographer on the water.
We showed up around 7:30 a.m., nearly two hours after launch. They already had around 17 pounds when we arrived. We just missed them catching a 6-pounder, a miss that is par for the course for a photographer on the water.
Geese fly in formation overhead. Perhaps they heard the rumor that these anglers knew where the fish were.
Geese fly in formation overhead. Perhaps they heard the rumor that these anglers knew where the fish were.
Cameraman Brian Mason shoots some overhead GoPro footage.
Cameraman Brian Mason shoots some overhead GoPro footage.
Heintze picks apart the cover.
Heintze picks apart the cover.
Watts makes a roll cast to a patch of gator grass with his frog.
Watts makes a roll cast to a patch of gator grass with his frog.
On the next cast, Watts landed just past a bush and this photographer had a feeling his luck was changing.
On the next cast, Watts landed just past a bush and this photographer had a feeling his luck was changing.
No sooner did that thought become fully formulated than boom! - a blow up in the center of the bush.
No sooner did that thought become fully formulated than boom! – a blow up in the center of the bush.
But the fish didn't get the frog good enough...
But the fish didn’t get the frog good enough…
...as Watts sets the hook, the fish gets caught up in the brush.
…as Watts sets the hook, the fish gets caught up in the brush.
They are calm, cool and collected and they shake it off to keep fishing.
They are calm, cool and collected and they shake it off to keep fishing.
Moments later, Heintze hooks up and gets it in the boat quick.
Moments later, Heintze hooks up and gets it in the boat quick.
This one probably won't help.
This one probably won’t help.
Back it goes.
Back it goes.
...
…
The team pushes on.
The team pushes on.
Boat captain Scott calls a timeout and asks if they should skip this small stretch to go hit some grass farther into their area.
Boat captain Scott calls a timeout and asks if they should skip this small stretch to go hit some grass farther into their area.
...
…
A duck blind provides some good, shady cover.
A duck blind provides some good, shady cover.
We watch from afar as they go back through some shallow grass.
We watch from afar as they go back through some shallow grass.
They hook up on a frog.
They hook up on a frog.
This looks like a good one.
This looks like a good one.
Almost there.
Almost there.
Got it......
Got it……
Leg kick by Watts signifies his emotion on landing that fish.
Leg kick by Watts signifies his emotion on landing that fish.
Now how much will that cull is the question.
Now how much will that cull is the question.
That's a good problem to have.
That’s a good problem to have.
Culling time.
Culling time.
They upgraded from 17-something to 19-something.
They upgraded from 17-something to 19-something.
...
…
Almost time for the halftime break.
Almost time for the halftime break.
They take their timeout to weigh some fish and see what they have.
They take their timeout to weigh some fish and see what they have.
That's a good one!
That’s a good one!
This is a better one.
This is a better one.
...
…
Egrets watch from above.
Egrets watch from above.
The shoreline cover had to remind them of their home water in Louisiana. That shallow water was untouched for the most part by anglers.
The shoreline cover had to remind them of their home water in Louisiana. That shallow water was untouched for the most part by anglers.
They continued flipping bushes, trees, duck blinds, and even the occasional gator grass.
They continued flipping bushes, trees, duck blinds, and even the occasional gator grass.
...
…
Watts hooks up.
Watts hooks up.
It isn't big.
It isn’t big.
This one was a fighter.
This one was a fighter.
But Watts knows this one won't help their limit.
But Watts knows this one won’t help their limit.
He unhooks it.
He unhooks it.
And throws it back for another time.
And throws it back for another time.
It just looks flat out fishy.
It just looks flat out fishy.
...
…
They make another small move back to their primary area. They believe at 7:30 they had 17 pounds, and by 9:00 they had around 19 and a half.
They make another small move back to their primary area. They believe at 7:30 they had 17 pounds, and by 9:00 they had around 19 and a half.
The cameras are still rolling for the TV show that will air on ESPNU.
The cameras are still rolling for the TV show that will air on ESPNU.
Watts skips a frog.
Watts skips a frog.
Cameraman Brian Mason gets the shot in the boat...
Cameraman Brian Mason gets the shot in the boat…
While this guy got the shot from the edges.
While this guy got the shot from the edges.
They are almost to the point in the cove where they started catching them.
They are almost to the point in the cove where they started catching them.
They have been catching all of their fish before 10 a.m. this week, but they stopped fishing after catching a couple fish.
They have been catching all of their fish before 10 a.m. this week, but they stopped fishing after catching a couple fish.
Hooked up!
Hooked up!
Heintze has it pinned and Watts grabs the net.
Heintze has it pinned and Watts grabs the net.
That's a good one.
That’s a good one.
Little bit of
Little bit of “hoop and holler.”
That's a good cull. Now their smallest fish is 3-4.
That’s a good cull. Now their smallest fish is 3-4.
Back goes this guy to be caught another day.
Back goes this guy to be caught another day.
Boat captain Scott calls a timeout to see if they want to keep trying to catch more weight or if 21 to 22 pounds is good for them.
Boat captain Scott calls a timeout to see if they want to keep trying to catch more weight or if 21 to 22 pounds is good for them.
We leave them to prepare for the weigh-in.
We leave them to prepare for the weigh-in.