Several members of the Patrick County High School Fishing Team were able to secure a spot and participate in state tournaments, including those who competed in the Joseph A. Thomson Memorial BASS Nation Virginia State Championship on Buggs Island Lake (John H. Kerr Reservoir) at Occoneechee State Park, Clarksville, Virginia.
The Joseph A. Thomson Memorial Tournament was created to raise scholarship money in memory of Joseph Thomson, a college student who was killed in a vehicle accident in 2006. Joseph had been a member of the Orange County High School Anglers in Orange, VA and after one year, he soon started a club with his own school in Warren County, VA.
The Joseph Thomson 6 Man Team Championship is held to raise money for the BASS Nation of Virginia Memorial Scholarship. The 2023 BASS Nation of Virginia Memorial Scholarships were presented to Hunter Barrow with the Foothills Youth Anglers; Logan Buttolph fishes with Lake Anna Elite Anglers and Dylan Ogburn with Greenville County Anglers. Mecklenburg High School Junior Anglers placed first in Junior Division and Foothills High School Anglers placed first in Senior Division.
Hunter Heath and Jonah Shockley; Tripp Thompson and Jacob Spencer and Evan Eastridge also competed in the “FUN”draiser tournament at Buggs that same weekend. The tournament fees for this tournament went towards the youth program.
Congratulations to PC’s Tripp Thompson and Jacob Spencer who placed 1st in the State Junior Division with total lbs. 11.67 and also won biggest fish trophy with 4.13 lbs. Evan Eastridge finished 4th with 7.01 lbs. There were 11 teams competing from all over the state in the Junior Division. Total weight for all 11 teams was 43.14 lbs. over 8 hours fished. In the State Senior Division, Jonah Shockley and Hunter Heath finished with a total weight of 7.45 lbs. Total weight for the 15 Senior Division teams was 93.82lbs.
Patrick County High School Fishing Team would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Boat Captains, Sponsors and Community support in providing this opportunity and experience to the young anglers.
