Anglers take on high school fishing world finals, national championship at Lake Hartwell

LAKE HARTWELL, S.C. (WSPA) – Lake Hartwell has gained significant attention this week. More  than 400 teams are competing in a premier high school fishing tournament at Green Pond Landing Event Center. 

“I know we have three teams from Zimbobway here and we have folks as far away as California, Maine, the Dakotas, Washington State. The event has reached far and wide,” said Neil Paul.  

The Sanders family traveled all the way from Arkansas to support their son and his team.

“Anxious , nervous, trainwreck, you want them to do good. You don’t know what they have until they come in to weigh in,” said Shena and Nathan Sanders. 

Organizers said $3 million in scholarships and other prizes are up for grabs. 

“It really gives the anglers a big opportunity to get to where they wanna be, go to college and even further. It’s something you’re grateful for as a parent,” said Sanders. “That’s why a lot of the international teams travel here to compete, it’s an opportunity to earn a scholarship at an American university,” said Paul. 

Neil Paul with Visit Anderson said these tournaments are boosting the economy for the county. 

“We got survey data and information from past events from the average angler to our community spending an average of $250 a day. That’s in things like lodging, meals and things like that so when you put all that together you start multiplying that by the number of people that are here and the number of nights that they’re staying because for most of these people this is vacation,” said Paul. 

Paul said it’s more than just a fishing tournament. 

“It’s an opportunity to come here and connect and the opportunities really right now for young people in fishing are really just endless,” said Paul. 

Saturday, June 22 is the last day of the tournament. 

The top 20 teams from the world championship competition and the top 10 teams from the national championship competition will fish for the top championship tomorrow.