Louisiana Sportsman

May 25, 2026

On Nov. 12, 2025, Travis Meche Jr. enjoyed one of his best bass fishing days ever on Chicot Lake.

Teen reflects on successful high school bass fishing career

May 23, 2026 Don Shoopman

After graduating in May from Summit Christian Academy, Travis Meche Jr. plans to fish pro bass fishing circuits such as Major League Fishing[…]

SLU freshman Grayson Aguillard, left, and SLU senior Champ Morales stick out the “pigs” they stuck to win it all April 4 in the Louisiana B.A.S.S. Nation College Series regular-season finale at Caney Lake.

College angler overcomes obstacles to have great senior season

May 22, 2026 Don Shoopman

Champ Morales of Livingston had a great senior season on the Southeastern Louisiana University Fishing Team with teammate Grayson Aguillard.[…]

Collin Tate of Mire smiles wide under his shades as he grips an 8-pound, 11-ounce bass he caught during practice for a high school tournament at Toledo Bend on Feb. 24, 2024.

College sophomore is juggling books and bass tournaments

March 23, 2026 Don Shoopman

Collin Tate is a rising collegiate bass angler as a member of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette’s Ragin’ Cajuns Fishing Team.[…]

This high school pair’s differences make them a stronger bass fishing team

February 5, 2026 Don Shoopman

Cade Whittington and Gage Dowers, both juniors at Sulphur High School, complement each other well and are a great bass fishing team.[…]

LSU-S bass angler Miles Smith with two bass he caught while fishing solo in a B.A.S.S. collegiate bass tournament at Lake Sam Rayburn.

Miles Smith finds success after move to LSU-Shreveport

December 19, 2025 Don Shoopman

Miles Smith, 21, is a proud member of one of the top collegiate bass teams in the country at LSU-Shreveport.[…]

As eighth-graders, Chase Muller, left, and Drew Todaro showed what they can do together by finishing second in an LHSBN tournament’s Junior Division out of Doiron’s Landing. They were and still are captained by Todaro’s father, Vincent Todaro, center.

These bass fishing teens are ready to rise to the occasion

November 7, 2025 Don Shoopman

Hahnville High School’s Drew Todaro and Chase Muller are the first bass anglers from Hahnville High to qualify for nationals.[…]

Josiah Shockley, left, has a firm lip grip with his right hand on a 10.36-pound bass he caught while fishing a LHSBN divisional tournament at Toledo Bend in 2023 with his Albany High School partner, Landon Watts. Watts caught a 7.60-pounder the next day.

Watts and Shockley aren’t afraid of putting in the work to be successful college anglers

September 11, 2025 Don Shoopman

Landon Watts of Independence and Josiah Shockley of Albany look ahead to fishing the college ranks at Northwestern State University.[…]

Sulphur High School Fishing Team members Caden Doucet, left, and Kade Ellender, right, flank their captain, Luke Ellender, while showing their five-fish limit after a tournament May 3.

High school bass fishing duo ready for the spotlight

August 14, 2025 Don Shoopman

Sulphur High School Fishing Team members Kade Ellender and Caden Doucet have proved to be among the state’s best this past season.[…]

Kade Palmer, left, and Devan Perkins have a firm grip on the lip of five bass weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces, after the first day of fishing in the MLF National Championship on Wheeler Lake.

College bass anglers make an impressive duo

June 9, 2025 Don Shoopman

LSU students Devan Perkins and Kade Palmer are hitting the books in search of degrees and wetting a line in search of bass.[…]

Hunter Holland proudly shows off two bass he caught in a recent Louisiana High School Bass Nation tournament.

High school bass angler Hunter Holland has terrific four-year run

May 19, 2025 Don Shoopman

Walker High School Fishing Team member Hunter Holland, 19, wants to complete his four-year run as a high school bass angler on a high note.[…]

Cole Pickett holds up two lunkers caught on a good day of fishing at Toledo Bend.

NSU Fishing Team members make their mark

March 20, 2025 Don Shoopman

College students Cole Pickett, Ross Miller and Dawson Cowden all shine as up-and-coming fishing guides at Toledo Bend.[…]

Colton Caskey (right) and Ryan Procell show the five bass limit that gave them a 15th-place finish at a MLF High School Open tournament during this 2024-25 season at Lake Sam Rayburn.

High school senior puts in the work when it comes to bass tournaments

February 13, 2025 Don Shoopman

Riverdale Academy’s Colton Caskey has shown that dedication and success can pay off on the high school bass tournament level.[…]

NSU teammates Drake Wadsworth and Stone Smith hold bass after a collegiate tournament in October.

NSU bass anglers are tournament-tested

December 13, 2024 Don Shoopman

Stone Smith and Drake Wadsworth of the Northwestern State University Fishing Team qualified for three national collegiate tournaments.[…]

Kevin Speyrer, left, and Derrick Fontenot, right, pose with Port Barre High School’s Braxton Speyrer, second from left, and Bennett Fontenot in June at a weigh-in during the High School Fishing World Finals at Lake Hartwell in South Carolina.

Port Barre teens take on the world

November 21, 2024 Don Shoopman

Bennett Fontenot and Braxton Speyrer finished a mere 2 ounces shy of winning the 15th annual TBF High School Fishing World Finals.[…]

Kade Hillestad, left, and John Kyle Pearce grip the lips of hawgs they caught in January 2024 to finish in the Top 5 at their first MLF college tournament at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida.

ULM Fishing Team members Hillestad and Pearce have banner year

September 9, 2024 Don Shoopman

Kade Hillestad and John Kyle Pearce, ULM Fishing Team members, qualified for three national championship tournaments as a team.[…]

Jaxon Plaisance, left, and Piers Picou smile ear to ear while hoisting the 2024 LHSBN Junior Division Anglers of the Year plaques high at the state championship banquet.

Picou and Plaisance earn back-to-back Junior Anglers of the Year titles

August 8, 2024 Don Shoopman

Piers Picou and Jaxon Plaisance weighed in at least one keeper bass in 26 consecutive Louisiana High School B.A.S.S. Nation tournaments.[…]