Brothers Caleb and Mikey Jenkins fish for Rhea County High School’s bass team with Bud Strader as their boat driver.Rhea County High School’s bass fishing team is barely three months old but has to be among the favorites to win the inaugural Tennessee state championship on April 9.
The Evensville group will be packing numbers, for one thing – eight boats with two anglers each – and they’ll have a home-water advantage. The tournament is being hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga bass club and is being held out of Dayton Boat Dock on Chickamauga Lake.
Beyond that, faculty sponsor Brian Derlak’s bunch has been getting good fast, aided greatly by a knowledgeable, enthusiastic adult support group. Following national high school rules set up by The Bass Federation based in Ponca City, Okla., and adopted by the Tennessee Bass Federation, the high school anglers have an adult driving each boat. The adult also can provide suggestions and net the fish.
The casting and reeling is all done by the students, however, and Derlak has been proud of his Golden Eagles’ progress. Many have been fishing for years, and they also gather with him for their one-hour lunch periods Monday through Thursday of each week.
They’ve also been on the water almost every Saturday despite having difficulty scheduling matches.