On Saturday morning, 138 high school teams launched their boats onto Kentucky Lake in Decatur County to kick off the 2025–26 Tennessee Bass Nation High School/Youth Series.
Jefferson County’s Jaxon Pierce and Tucker Larrance claimed first place, landing five fish with a total weight of 17.1 pounds. Collinwood’s Maddie Brown and Critian Risner earned the day’s biggest catch honors with a 6.11-pound bass.
South Greene’s Shane Williams opened his senior season with a 73rd-place finish after reeling in two fish for a combined 2.76 pounds. His regular partner, Noah Wright, was unavailable due to football commitments.
Chuckey-Doak’s Gibson brothers, Brodie and Kolbie, began their season with a single fish weighing 2.58 pounds, good for 74th place. Brodie, a senior, and Kolbie, a junior, are fishing together for the second straight year.
The Black Knights also have another brother duo on the roster. Noah and Logan Mentz, a senior and sophomore, missed the opener but plan to make their debut at the next tournament on September 27 at Watts Bar Lake.
