Angell earns all-state, angler of the year honors

Special to the Jefferson Herald

A fruitful year on and off the water has earned a local youth a prestigious award.

Greene County native Kolby Angell was named to the Iowa Bassmaster High School All-State fishing team. He’s joined by Tyler Loudon.
Angell was also named the Iowa Youth Fishing League’s angler of the year. He joins 51 other outstanding high school anglers from across the country who were named to the 2022 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
The students were selected for the honor based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service. Angell’s placement comes on the heels of a productive season.

Angler of the Year

The Iowa Youth Fishing League board of directors recently named Angell their 2021 Angler of the Year.

The award is not only honored by tournament wins, but for participation in the youth league’s monthly educational and community events as well as volunteer opportunities.
Angel had an outstanding season on and off the water. On the water, Angell had an impressive four tournament titles in addition to five other tournaments in which he placed top five. He bagged the big bass at the Three Mile Tournament.
Angell’s first place finish at Okoboji with his partner Keethan landed them with a total weight of 42.47 pounds.

What is equally impressive is Angell’s dedication to fishing and conservation off the water. He didn’t miss a single community or educational event during the season. His dedication to promoting the Iowa Youth Fishing League’s mission and o continue to grow his skills and knowledge as an angler were evident to everyone involved with the league.

Angell took the time to turn his “Conversation Think Tank” idea into a reality at his local lake. He and his family partnered with the DNR at BlackHawk Lake in Lakeview to create fish structures using pallets and cinder blocks.
Angell also takes time to volunteer inside the organization creating materials that can be shared with fellow anglers and new families. Angell is a high school sophomore and also is a starter on the Greene County varsity soccer team.

All-State requirements and showcase tournament

To be considered for the All-State fishing team, a student must have been nominated by a parent, coach, teacher or other school official. Students enrolled in grades 10-12 with a current-year grade point average of 2.5 or higher were eligible.
B.A.S.S. received nearly 400 nominations from across the nation. From these, judges selected 53 student anglers from 34 states to make the All-State Fishing Team. In addition, 40 students received Honorable Mentions recognizing them for their tournament success as well as community service and academic achievement.

“Congratulations to all 53 anglers on being selected to be a part of the 2022 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing team or Honorable Mention,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. Nation Tournament Manager — College, High School and Junior. “It’s always impressive to see the accolades of each applicant. Every parent and angler should be very proud of joining the team.”

A second panel of judges will review the nominations of the 53 All-State team members and select the 12 members of the 2022 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. As in All-State judging, criteria include success in high school fishing tournaments, involvement in conservation efforts and other community service activities.

The 12 finalists will compete in a one-day Bassmaster High School All-American Bass Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, which will be held during the 2022 Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork, scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Quitman, Texas.

Elite Series anglers will serve as teammates and “coaches” of the student anglers in the tournament. The high school standouts will be honored on the main stage at the weigh-in.