Bass Master Elite Angler, former Auburn student hosts huge fishing tournament

AUBURN, Ala. (WTVM) - High school and college anglers, or fishers, compete in a huge exposure tournament this weekend.

“There’s no way you could get this many here for fishing without Logan Parks.”

The best of the best anglers from across the southeast and other parts of the country have the opportunity to compete in the highest-paying and largest recruiting fishing competition of the year.

The tournament was thought of by Bass Master Elite Series Angler, Logan Parks.

More than 170 anglers will be on Lake Martin Sunday competing in the first-ever Logan Parks Fishing Foundation High School College Chaos Tournament presented by Abu Garcia.

Sounds like a mouthful, but it’s a way for the top high school fishers in the nation to show off their skills and for college teams to witness the next generation of fishing legends.

“I’m just hoping I can move to the next level. It’s mind-opening to meet all these people who are doing what I want to do one day and meeting everybody that’s living what I want to live right now. I hope to follow in a lot of those footsteps to be like them or become better,” said Fisher Carver of Appling County High School.

“My goal is make those high schoolers see that there’s other opportunities past high school,” says Logan Parks, 2024 Bass Master Elite Angler.

20 colleges, including 6 of the top ten collegiate bass schools of the year, are representing in this tournament. It’s all a part of the Parks’ idea to create life-changing opportunities.

“The feeling of holding that trophy and the big cardboard check over my head, it was such a cool experience and I want to create that opportunity for these high school and college anglers to experience something similar,” said Parks.” I know it’s not a million-dollar first-place prize, but it’s significantly more than what they would fish for. We’re trying to make this an elevated platform that gets a lot more exposure than a typical event and I want to make that opportunity for these guys.”

Some of those guys include Auburn University Bass Team Membership Chair Carty Shoen, who’s paired with Phoenix Arizona Perry high school student Dash Dawson.

“It’s such a good opportunity for me and every other high schooler here, it’s awesome,” said Dawson.

“It’s never really been done before you put this many high schoolers in a genuine scenario to be with college anglers. It’s usually a stepping zone, there’s usually a barrier, and he’s combing the two and making it more of a transition and less of a movement, it’s awesome,” said Shoen.

The 172 anglers have an early morning Sunday. After a boat safety check, the ten hours of fishing begins on Lake Martin at 6 a.m. A trophy presentation will be at Auburn Junior High where we will update you on the winners of the tournament.

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