My son and I are currently in the process of trying to start a fishing club at Magnolia a High School. It seems every high school around has a fishing team except Magnolia. We are reaching out via social media right now and hope to meet with the principal in the next week or two.

If anyone has any information or suggestions please contact me via text or call at 832-767-8890 or email r737scott@mac.com My son is gathering names right now for students that are interested in joining and I believe he has enough students interested to get things going. We have not found a teacher to help out yet but are searching. Anyone interested in being a boat captain for the Magnolia team can contact me also.

Thanks
Scott Prichard

Scott,

If the principal has any questions regarding starting a team, have them call me at 903-539-3975. Magnolia West HS had a team that participated in the THSBA Houston Division last season. We have the 2016-2017 schedule out already. Go to www.texashighschoolbassassn.com and click on the Houston a Division tab to view the schedule. You can also get the rules, membership packet, PowerPoint on how to register your new team, etc on the website.

Thanks for helping to get this started at Magnolia.

Tim Haugh

A reminder, your boat will have to pass a safety check. A friend of mine who's boys would have won the tourney were DQ'd because he didn't have a fire extinguisher on board. He'd pull it out to work on some wiring the week before and forgot to put it back in.

He was embarrassed and both he and the boys were disappointed.

Make sure you are ship shape, and have a great time.

If they're using your tackle, make sure you have plenty. A lot of kids don't have the good stuff so they use your and loose it from rocks and trees. If they're using your rods and reels, see if you have a few that you can spool mono on and not tangle you floro. Depending on the kids if they reimbursement or not. I did it for 5yrs and it was great, had fun and will still do it but I'm just letting you know some of the small things.

Thanks for the suggestions, hoping to meet with the principal soon. I would be taking my son out and of course another student. I hope this works out, my son would love it and I know many other students would also.

Tim, thanks for your help also. I'll write down your info and get in touch if there are any questions which I'm sure there will be.

This has happened several times. It is very important to keep safety in mind all the time but especially when you have High School kids out on a very crowded lake. The rules that are in place are purely focused on Safety First. Sorry to hear about this happening to your friend and I am certain that it hurt the Tournament Director's feelings as well. I saw one where the TD told the guy if he could get anything out of his FE even a puff he would not DQ the team. They still got DQ'd FE was completely dead.


Jody

Jody

That would stink to get disqualified for the boat. I'm very anal but will keep an even closer eye out for anything with the boat and make sure others do the same.

One of the questions I have is the fishing team originations that are available. A friend of my sons goes to Montgomery High School and I forgot the origination they belong to but he told my son they are switching for 2016-2017. One I've been told about is the SAF, Student Anglers Association, I believe. Is one better than the other, any recommendations?

There are a few groups in Texas. The THSBA , SETX (they are down by Rayburn) Deep East, Houston Area aassociation. Then you have the 2 groups in which most are affected with. The SAF or BASS High school division

I have been on a couple lakes where these tournaments are being held and have seen numerous safety issues.
The TD(s) might want to work on those as well as making sure the captain has a fire extinguisher.

Saw several boats wth nobody wearing a PFD, kids riding in seats on back and front decks while on plane and a few other things that were a little sketchy.

Props to all of you that are helping these kids out and getting them on the water, just make sure they learn to be safe on the water...

I am sure there are going to be a few that skirt the rules a little. Just like I am sure they will be the ones that complain the loudest when they place high enough to be checked and fail either the boat checks or polygraph.

Jody

So, are all the Texas fishing teams associated with a larger association? Is SAF the better one or is one not any better than the other? My sons friend from Montgomery said they were switching associations due to there being more tournaments associated with it. I'm not sure if he was referring to the Texas association or one of the larger associations. I believe he sad they were going to be in the same association as The Woodlands team for 2016/2017. I'll confirm this weekend.

A friend of mine has a son very involved on The Woodlands College Park team and he sent me info on SAF so I assume that's who they are with. I think I need to speak to Tim who posted above and get it all straight. Thanks everyone for your help. I just want to be organized before I meet with the school and tell them my plans. If anyone knows of a teacher that would be a part of the team at Magnolia please let me know.

Yes, the Woodlands are part of us, Texas High School Bass Association, in order for your team members to fish our events they will need to be members of the THSBA. Their membership number is how we keep up with members and also the membership from the SAF carries the insurance required by us as a Association .

Great, thanks!

We met with the principal, have a faculty sponsor, signed the club up with SAF, and just registered two students with the SAF. I registered my son and one other student. We have several more students stating they want to join but haven't paid their $25 yet. I'm sure more will join once the word gets out when school starts. Magnolia High School has a day before school starts for incoming freshman and we are setting up a booth to help spread the word.

So, if anyone is interested in being a boat captain for the Magnolia High School fishing club please let me know. 832-767-8890, text or call. Thanks.

Sounds like you got it going . Good job.