From bass fishing to B.A.S.S. fishing for Minooka high schooler

As we finished talking last Friday after school, I asked Wyatt Pazdro what he was doing next.

“I will probably go out fishing,’’ he said.

That’s Pazdro, a junior at Minooka, who has taken fishing to higher levels.

On April 18, Pazdro earned one of the 12 slots this year on the Bassmaster High School All-American Team.

That’s right, B.A.S.S. does an All-America team, and bass fishing has become big enough as a high school sport/activity that some colleges offer scholarships.

The Illinois High School Association provided the spark when it started bass fishing as an activity in the 2008-09 school year. The IHSA’s 11th state final for bass fishing started Friday with 66 boats on Carlyle Lake.

Schools may enter two boats in sectionals, and some schools, such as Taft, Morris and Reed-Custer, advanced both boats to the finals. The two-day finals conclude Saturday afternoon.

Perennial power Highland led after Day 1 with a limit weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces, anchored by the day’s big bass of 5-3. Freshman Tucker Siminak and sophomore Dylan Egleston had Antioch second with a limit at 14-13, anchored by a 4-7. Morris Boat 1 was ninth (9-1) and Buffalo Grove 10th (8-15).

Conditions were good with water in the 70s, the spawn in progress, and water levels less than a foot over summer pool.

Each boat has an adult captain/driver. Each boat may weigh its five heaviest black bass (largemouth in Carlyle’s case), 12 inches or longer. The top three boats at each sectional qualified for the finals.

Pazdro’s third consecutive trip to state means something to him.

“It gives me a lot more confidence,’’ he said. “But it changes day to day, gonna have to see when we get there.’’

Pazdro and fellow junior Blake Beckwith were in 16th with three weighing 6-12.

Of the more curious things, the soft-spoken Pazdro said in his earlier interview was, “My grades have started going up since I started doing high school tournaments. It makes me try harder and do better.’’

History is his favorite subject. He is hoping to go to college and fish.

“I don’t really have time for any other sports, besides fishing,’’ he said.

As to an angler he admires, Pazdro said, “I watch Brandon Palaniuk on YouTube, and he inspires me. He reminds me of myself and seems like a super nice guy. He kinda fishes like me.’’

Palaniuk was the 2017 Angler of the Year.

As part of being an All-American, Pazdro fished in early May with Elite pro Todd Auten in Texas.

Auten, tweeted a photo of Pazdro and this, “Here’s a catch from yesterday on Lake Quitman. Reeled her in on a white @ZOOMBaitCompany trick worm. So cool seeing kids like Wyatt get excited over #fishing! #bass #bassfishing #takeakidfishing #bassmaster #basselite’’

What Pazdro learned from Auten was “How to pick apart a body of water in a certain amount of time.’’

As to his style of fishing, Pazdro said, “I can fish just about everything, but I would rather throw slow-moving baits, any type of craw bait and a jig. I’ve had lots of success on them and the more I catch on them, the more I want to keep using them, more confidence in it, I should say.’’

His most memorable catch came in Alabama on Pickwick Lake.

“I was throwing a topwater and a 5-pound smallmouth flew out of the water about two feet and hit it like a freight train.’’

But he has no preference between largemouth or smallmouth.

“Sometimes, I will go for crappie and walleye,’’ Pazdro said. “I would like to catch a muskie. I broke one off the other day.’’

Asked if he had a favorite spot for fishing, he said, ‘‘I pretty much fish about every pond I see.’’

Results are posted at ihsa.org/SportsActivities/BassFishing/StateSeriesInformationResults.aspx.

A recap of the final day will be posted late Saturday afternoon at chicago.suntimes.com/section/outdoors/.