Livingston Academy seniors Cooper Roberts and Blake Melton secured a 15th-place finish out of 98 boats during a recent fishing tournament at Percy Priest Lake.
Fishing Coach Michael Johnson said the students often dedicate the day before a competition to practicing on the water. Johnson said the high ranking reflects well on both the team and the school after the pair competed in difficult conditions.
“It just shows when they perform that well that they are learning from their past experiences,” Johnson said. “The more experience that you can get, the more exposure to different fishing conditions, different lakes, it’s just it just will help you in your next fishing tournament.”
Johnson said the heat likely contributed to the challenging environment where more than half the field failed to weigh in. Roberts and Melton have participated in the program since middle school and previously competed at the national level.
“Yeah, it’s a great it’s great for them to be recognized for all their hard work they’ve put into it,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the student-led teams consist of two anglers and a boat captain who provides transportation but cannot assist with fishing. The program has operated at the school for more than 10 years with support from local business sponsorships.
“We’re always proud of any of our guys that get out there and give it a good go,” Johnson said. “You’re out there for a very long time, you have to be on the water very early, you’re out there hours and hours, sometimes in very adverse weather conditions, so we’re always proud of any of our guys that get out there and give it a good go.”
Johnson said the team currently has several high school and middle school groups preparing for the fall and spring seasons. The program participates in various trails across central and east Tennessee.
“I think it’s only going to get better,” Johnson said. “These kids are out there fishing or just going fishing with their families or anything like that. So I think they really love it.”
The LA Anglers will compete at Chickamauga this weekend before the state trail begins the following week.
