Fishing gets nibble of interest by IHSA

Several local schools considering a jump into newly sanctioned activity

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July 22, 2008

By ANDY ROHR Staff Writer

Get your tackle box ready.

In early June, the Illinois High School Association board of directors approved terms and conditions for a bass fishing series that will be inaugurated in the spring of 2009.

Bass Fishing Series Rules

The rules as outlined on ihsa.org:

• Teams of up to three participants per boat may be entered by each school

• A school may enter up to two boats

• Only two of the three students may fish at any one time

• Every boat must have an adult captain for driving purposes

• All participants must wear a coast guard approved life jacket

• Fishing outings will last between 5-8 hours

• There will be a five-fish limit per boat

• There will be a pound deduction for every minute a participant is late getting back for the weigh-in

• Dead fish will result in a � pound deduction

• Poundage ties will be broken first using largest fish, followed by number of fish

• All fish will be released after the weigh-in

• No live bait or trolling is allowed in the sectional or state final

In a press release, IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman stated that he believed that the fishing tournament would be the first of its kind sponsored by a high school association.

Locally, the decision was mostly met with guarded excitement.

Streamwood, South Elgin, Larkin and St. Charles North all stated a strong interest, with St. Charles East, St. Edward, Bartlett and Huntley all undecided on whether or not their schools would participate. Burlington Central and Hampshire are among the schools that aren't planning on fielding a team. All local high schools were contacted.

"We did a survey (this past school year) and a lot of interest was shown," Streamwood athletic director Steve Gertz said. "Lots of kids fish around here and the word got around quick. A lot of our kids fish at Bode Lake and we could probably practice there."

Schools will have until November 1 to enter into the one-class tournament.

Sectionals will begin the final week of April and the state finals will take place May 8-9.

Many rules are outlined in the IHSA's terms and conditions of participation. In the sectionals and state finals, each school will be allowed to enter up to two boats with up to three students in each boat.

At any given time only two students will be allowed to fish and the competitions will run between five and eight hours a day.

At the end of the outing, each boat may weigh five fish for a combined weight and ranking. Deductions will be given for late arrivals to the weigh-ins and for dead fish.

"We're interested in it," Larkin athletic director Jim Juliano said. "It'll be exciting for the kids."

Each participant will be required to wear a life jacket and competitors will not be allowed to use live bait in the sectional or state finals.

Each boat must also have an adult captain for driving purposes. The captain cannot fish.

What the rules and regulations on ihsa.org don't mention is how the activity will get off the ground, a concern felt by many area athletic directors.

Aside from needing sponsors, equipment, and bodies of water that will stock bass, most schools are waiting to hear more from the IHSA this fall.

"There has been a large volume of interest," South Elgin athletic director John O'Brien said. "It's been overwhelming. But how are we going to do it? We don't really have a clue right now."

Added Gertz: "There's lots of unknowns with the IHSA proposal. We want to see the parameters and we'll move on from there."

Gertz also pointed out another issue that will need to be addressed. Will the amount of interest shown by students in anticipation of the activity accurately reflect participation come spring?

Gertz and many others are hoping that and many other questions will be answered in the coming months, giving them time to prepare for the innovative program's first cast.