TOP PHOTO:  Mason Dople (left) and Gabe St. John (right) were awarded their trophies this week at Niles, Ohio, for winning the Tennessee Bass Federation/Fishing League Worldwide (TBF/FLW) State Championship.  The duo also won the state title in 2019.

NILES, OH (WLAF) – Odds are good that this was not the last time Campbell County’s dynamic fishing duo of Mason Dople and Gabe St. John will be fishing for The Bass Federation (TBF) Junior World Championship (JWC).  The pair of local anglers is heading back home to La Follette this morning after competing for the world championship earlier this week.Their coach, Mike King, said, “They led their division on the first day, Wednesday, but Thursday was a rough day on Mosquito Creek Lake for them.  They had to win their division on Thursday in order to fish on Friday.”

Dople and St. John competed  at the tourney that started on Wednesday and runs through Saturday, July 29, 30, 31 on Mosquito Creek Lake in Trumbull County Ohio, near Cleveland.

The 2020 JWC includes a two-person team format and three days of competition. The TBF Junior program includes all anglers 15 years old or under as of Aug. 31, 2020, who fished through their home state federation’s Junior program to qualify. Only the top Junior team from each state is invited to attend.

Gabe St. John (left) and Mason Dople (right) led their division on Day One, Wednesday.

The 13-year old Dople (right) enters 8th grade next week while St. John (left) starts the 7th and will turn 13 later this year.  The pair of members of the Campbell County Middle School Fishing Team has won the last two Tennessee Bass Federation/Fishing League Worldwide (TBF/FLW) State Championships.

“I am so proud of these boys.  They’ve had an awesome year,” said King.

(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 07/31/2020-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF COACH MIKE KING)

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