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ASHLAND CITY WEATHER

Midstate fishing team nets state title




Presley Lannom, a member of the Mt. Juliet fishing team, will be joined next year by his sister, Morgan.SUBMITTED

Presley Lannom, a member of the Mt. Juliet fishing team, will be joined next year by his sister, Morgan.SUBMITTED

The best young fishermen in Tennessee come from Wilson County.

The Mt. Juliet fishing team, comprised of youngsters from throughout the county, recently won state team of the year honors for both the junior high and high school divisions.

“We’ve done well,” said coach Gary Redic, of Lebanon, who is assisted by Mitch Fox. “We’ve got some really good fishermen. Six of our kids have signed college scholarships, including four this year.”

Brady Duncan is bound for Carson-Newman, Braden Leffew to Bethel and Caleb Bridges and Jacob Davidson to Bryan College.

Two members of the team paired to win the junior team state championship. Preston Maddux and Presley Lannom beat out 70 other teams from across the state to take top honors.

That’s part of a boatload of tournament trophies the team has accumulated, from state titles to reaching last year’s finals of the national championship.

The 52 members of the Mt. Juliet fishing team are among about 2,800 youngsters statewide who compete in similar programs.

“It’s growing in popularity,” said Redic, who is in his fourth year as coach of the team that was founded eight years ago.

Youngsters from second grade through high school are eligible. Second through eighth graders compete in the junior division, with high schoolers comprising the high school division.

Second graders may seem young for competitive fishing, but Redic said they are capable little anglers.

“That’s the minimum age required by the BASS Masters program that provides insurance and other support,” Redic said. “Second graders are old enough to handle a trolling motor and other duties.”

Of the 52 team members, only one is a girl.

“We welcome and encourage girls to participate,” said Redic, “but it’s been a struggle. Hopefully more will come out.”

Although most of the team members are from Wilson County, youngsters who live in any adjacent county that has no team are eligible for the Mt. Juliet team.

Different members of the team fish every weekend from May through September at lakes across the state and sometimes out-of-state. Results are posted on social media and other outlets and monitored by college coaches looking for prospects.

There is a $110 team membership fee, and members must supply their own gear and tackle. Redic said sponsors pitch in, and outdoors outlets provide discounts to defray costs.

Parents provide boats, and team members without access to one can be paired with a partner who does.

“If a kid wants to join, we’ll give him all the assistance possible,” Redic said.

Anyone interested in joining the team can contact Redic at 615-714-5862.

“We’ve got a lot of great kids, and it’s a pleasure to work with them,” Redic said. “We’re like any other sports team – we thrive on competition and take a lot of pride in winning.”

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