Two members of the De Soto High School fishing team have managed to cast their way into a bigger pond of competition.

Junior Connor Nimrod and freshman Dylan Nimrod have qualified to go to the BASS Coastal High School Championship at Kentucky Lake, which is in between Tennessee and Kentucky.

“It is extremely difficult [to get into the tournament], there is probably over 1,000 teams that compete nationwide and you have to go through all those teams to qualify,” Connor said.

The Nimrods qualified for the tournament while competing at the Costa Bassmaster High School Central Open.

“When we ended up qualifying it was really exhilarating because a lot of really good fishing teams were [at the qualifying tournament] and there were really high stakes there as well,” Dylan said.

For Connor, attending the tournament has been something he has been wanting to do during his fishing career.

“I have wanted to become a tournament fisher since I was really young,” Connor said.

Connor started fishing at 2 years old.

“My dad had me sit between his legs at the Lake of the Ozarks when I was 2 years old and hold the rod and I finally caught one and that is where it all started,” Connor said.

Dylan did not get into fishing until two years ago.

“My brother has been competitively fishing for about eight years or so, and he has always tried to get me into it, but [it was] about two years ago when I really started to fish a lot more and I really started to find it enjoyable,” Dylan said.

Connor has been to the BASS Coastal High School Championship once before, but this will be Dylan’s first time at the tournament.

“[Going with Dylan] will definitely be something a lot different, I have never experienced this before. I have gone one other time but that was with a partner, so it should be a lot more fun with my brother in the boat,” Connor said.

Dylan adds that Connor’s previous experience may help them as well as what he thinks the tournament will be like.

“It is a really cool experience to go with [Connor] he has already been there once before so he knows a little bit about the lake already, but it is definitely going to be a really cool experience,” Dylan said.

Connor described the celebrations that took place after they qualified.

“There were lots of high-fives and screams exchanged and we jumped up and down,” Connor said.

The BASS Coastal High School Championship will be held in mid-July.