Signups for Illinois' ground-breaking high school, bass fishing tournament officially are 210 schools.
``However, we would likely accept additional entries,'' IHSA executive director Marty Hickman said. ``We have an early entry deadline since this is a new activity.''
The IHSA will hold the state finals, the nation's first, at Carlyle Lake on May 8-9, 2009.
About 2/5ths of the schools are from the Chicago area, including six from Chicago: Brother Rice, De La Salle, Marist, Simeon, St. Patrick and Taft.
The complete school list is here.
General information on Illinois becoming the first state to offer such a statewide bass fishing tournament is here.
I think it is great that Illinois High Schools will include fishing as a high school sport. This is a great way to introduce more young people to this lifelong activity.