Elk Mound duo claims victory in Minnesota High School Fishing’s Whitefish Chain Open
WINNING TEAM — Elk Mound’s Blaze Todd, left and Cole Steinhorst, right, displayed their first place trophies after winning the Whitefish Chain Open Sunday in Crosslake, MN on June 3. The win advanced the duo to the 2018 High School Fishing National Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama on June 26-30. —phtoo submitted
Elk Mound High School duo of Cole Steinhorst and Blaze Todd brought a five-bass limit to the scale Sunday, June 3 weighing 15 pounds, 14 ounces, to win the 2018 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Whitefish Chain Open presented by YETI tournament.
The win advanced the team to the 2018 High School Fishing National championship to be held June 26-30, on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama.
According to post-tournament reports, Steinhorst and Todd fished docks using white- and black and blue-colored swimbaits.
The tandem team of Cole Steinhorst and Blaze Todd came in on top of a field of 96 teams that competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from Moonlite Bay in Crosslake, MN. In FLW/TBF High School Fishing competition, the top 10-percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The Mounders fielded three teams in the tournament including James Javanovich, Ben Lambele, Marcus Kinblom, and Christopher Lee as well as Steinhorst and Todd. Coaching the teams were Shawn Javanovich, Tim Lambele, Jr. and Scott Wilczek.
“All three teams represented Elk Mound very well, and all three teams weighed in a full limit of five bass,” said Tim Lambele, father of Ben and coach Tim Lambele, Jr.
“The big winners though, were Cole Steinhorst and Blaze Todd, weighing in a limit at 15 pounds and 14 ounces to take first place in the tournament. This victory earned them a spot in the High School National Championship tournament in Alabama, on Pickwick Lake,” continued Lambele.
“The feat was even more impressive than just beating 95 other teams, the great majority of these teams were from that area of Minnesota, so Blaze and Cole went into their backyard and won the whole thing,” concluded Lambele.
ELK MOUND HIGH SCHOOL had three teams compete in the 2018 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Whitefish Chain Open held near Crosslake, MN on June 3. The team of Cole Steinhorst and Blaze Todd took first place out of 96 teams and will advance to the National Championships on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama held June 26-30. Pictured above, front row from left to right are: Cole Steinhorst and Blaze Todd. Back row (L to R): Coach Shawn Javanovich, James Javanovich, Ben Lambele, Coach Tim Lambele, Marcus Kinblom, Chris Lee, Coach Scott Wilczek. —photo submitted
The 2018 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Whitefish Chain Open was a two-person (team) event for students in grades 7-12, open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF) affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10 percent of each Challenge, Open, and state championship field will advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
In addition to the High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest high school bass tournament, the 2018 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. At the 2017 World Finals, more than $60,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded.