CARLYLE, Ill. — All-American Tyler Lubbat lived up to his resume.
The Buffalo Grove junior (senior) caught a five-bass limit, fishing with Dominic Domian, to have the Bison in second with 7 pounds, 15 ounces after Day 1 of the Illinois High School Association state finals for bass fishing Wednesday on Carlyle Lake.
Moline, the 2014 champions, was in first by two ounces (8-1) with a limit.
This is Lubbat’s third trip to state in his quest to become a rare angler to make the state finals all four years. Even though it was his third trip, he said, “We pulled up on a new spot and had one on. That was it.”
Their big fish was 2.3 pounds.
Unity was third (4, 7-13). Mahomet-Seymour, with the help of the day’s big bass (4-1) was fourth (7-7). Minooka’s Alec Berens and Wyatt Pazdro caught the only other limit and were in fifth (6-15).
Berens would only say that they were using plastics to their limit for Minooka team 1, but added that they “feel comfortable” going into tomorrow.
Other Chicago-area teams in the top 20 were Plainfield North (7th, 5-0), Huntley (9th, 4-10), [ADDED] Providence (10th, 4-2) Naperville North with brothers Mitch and Ty Konrad (14th, 3-3) and Downers Grove South (18th, 2-5).
As usual, weather mattered, but the teams and the IHSA officials handled it. Thunderstorms forced teams to seek cover at 1:44 p.m. They were released at 3 p.m. to fish for a final hour. Another thunderstorm hit at the end of the weigh-in, but the weigh-in was able to be completed.
On the day, 41 of the 62 teams (four withdrew) weighed fish. There were 84 fish weighed.
Day 2 is scheduled for 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and weather looks like it might cooperate.
NOTE:IHSA associate director Kurt Gibson said they were caught off-guard by the specifically Christian prayer, which preceded the National Anthem before take-off. The FLW, which has a tradition of prayer before the national anthem, assists with the state finals.
