Lubbat leads Buffalo Grove to IHSA state championship for bass fishing

CARLYLE, Ill.–Tyler Lubbat caught four keepers Thursday to lead Buffalo Grove to the championship of the IHSA state championship for bass fishing on Carlyle Lake.

The Bison became the first Chicago-area team to be state champions in the nine-year history of bass fishing as an activity.

Tyler, an All-American, and partner Dominic Domian weighed in 5 pounds, 8 ounces on Thursday to easily win with a two-day total of 13-7. Mahomet-Seymour was second (10-12).

Lubbat found a magic bush on Day 1 to catch their five-bass limit. On Thursday, he caught two off other bushes and two deep with a black-and-blue DeM Jig with a sapphire trailer.

Six other Chicago-area teams finished in the top 20.

Alec Berens and Wyatt Pazdro led Minooka Boat 1 to eighth (7-14). Naperville North was ninth (7-11); Huntley, 10th (7-4), Wheaton St. Francis, 13th (6-10), Minooka Boat 2, 14th (6-0) and Plainfield North, 19th (5-0).

The start was delayed 39 minutes by an early thunderstorm, but the weather cleared and 53 of the 62 boats ended up weighing in fish.