Wetumpka students Jay Shipp and LJ Harkless finished in first place at the 2019 Alabama Student Anglers Bass Fishing Association state championship on Lake Jordan earlier this month. The two combined to record the highest weight total of any boat across the two-day event.
The 200-team event was the final tournament of the 2019 ASABFA season and the Shipp-Harkless duo added 300 points to Wetumpka’s total in the final standings. It was the highest finish of any Wetumpka team during the season and the Indians moved into 12th place of the state championship standings, finishing 391 points behind state champion Briarwood.
Shipp and Harkless finished the weekend with a total weight of 33.22 pounds, finishing 1.35 pounds ahead of the closest competition.
Wetumpka had three total teams finish in the top 100 of the tournament. Hudson McKenzie and Jacob Callen totaled 21.86 pounds to finish as the 79th boat while Pierce Robinson and Koby Barnhill finished 92nd overall.
Holtville was also represented in the tournament by five teams including three boats finishing in the top 100. Ella Forbus and Wesley Harris weighed in at 23.16 pounds to finish 57th, leading the Bulldogs to finish 16th in the final team standings.