Freshman anglers Gabe Pirkle and Austin Rogers from Fannin County High Schools Fishing Club competed in a Georgia High School Fishing Series Tournament at Laurel Park on Lake Lanier in Gainesville May 3 and came home in second place.
Rogers and Pirkle’s combined for a total weight of 18.42 lbs. Their single biggest catch was 4.56 lbs. The total weight of their catch is a maximum of five fish. They had 199 team points.
This tournament was the fifth of the season at Laurel Park for the pair.
Each tournament gives points. For the season, the two anglers placed ninth out of 105 boats with 752 points.
On October 26, 2025, the pair scored 181 points. They finished 19th place out of 70 boats with a total weight of 12.12 lbs.
On November 16, 2025, the pair scored 158 points. They finished in 43rd place out of 74 boats with a total weight of 4.99 lbs.
On March 22, 2026, Rogers and Pirkle scored 192 points, and placed ninth out of 67 boats with a total weight of 18.49 lbs.
On April 19, 2026, they placed 21st out of 75 boats with a total weight of 15.07 lbs.
This event wrapped up the 2025-26 season for the two fisherman.
Head Coach Paul Ramirez said he’s proud of the two guys. “It has been a privilege to watch Gabe and Austin represent Fannin County High School so well on the water this year. Alongside their boat captain, Chris Rogers, these young men showed great discipline across five tournaments. The boys outperformed a large field of local Lake Lanier high school teams, ultimately finishing the season 9th out of 105 teams. Their consistency and work ethic are exactly what we love to see from our students, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for these guys,”Ramirez said.
The school has had a bass fishing club for many years, Ramirez said. Prior to Covid-19, they also had a fly fishing club.
Fishing Club members learn casting skills, local lake info, techniques, and fellowship. Fishing trips to local ponds, lakes and rivers are offered to qualified students. Georgia High School Association Tournament Bass Fishing is available to qualified students. They must have access to a boat, an adult boat captain, and gear that meets safety and insurance requirement.