By Louie Stout

Michiana was well represented in the Major League Fishing Abu Garcia High School Fishing Championships recently at Lake Hartwell, S.C.

Tanner Banks and JJ Gruber

Mishawaka High School teammates Tanner Banks and JJ Gruber finished 31st out of 437 anglers in the World Championship, 65th out of 245 anglers in the national championship and 10th out of 354 in the second chance knockout round, in which they missed the cut by two ounces.

Banks will be a freshman this year at Southwest Michigan College and be a member of the collegiate bass fishing team at the school. Gruber, who is younger, is a student at Mishawaka Marian High School.

The team received support from Clear H2o Tackle, Pig Pluckers Custom Baits and Str8-Up Mounts.

Tanner Banks and JJ Gruber with Tanner's dad Kyle

“It was an incredible experience,” says Banks, whose father, Kyle, served as the team’s boat captain. “We didn’t do as well as we hoped but felt good about it considering we drove across part of the country to compete on a lake we had never seen before.”

At Hartwell, they keyed on the longest points running out to the main river channel. Most of their fish came from 20 to 45 feet of water where bass were schooling on blue back herring.

Tanner Banks and JJ Gruber with their most successful rigs

“We caught a few on a Dimiki Rig but most were on a pencil popper,” said Banks.

The duo qualified through the Indiana Bass Federation Youth Tournaments.