Fall 2018
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BASSMASTER HIGH SCHOOL SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
My son, Laker, qualified for the Bassmaster National High School Championship and after the cancellation, we left early to get to his event. We would’ve been a little late for practice, if we would’ve fished the Elite event.
This Classic style event featured 337 teams represented from 38 states and three other countries. It is really awesome to be involved with this segment of the sport and see the passion and growth of so many kids and families nationwide.
It was a pretty good event for my son Laker and his partner Jantzen. They finished 28th and learned a little more about tough conditions and grinding out a few bites to survive.
Congrats to our friends from Briarwoood Christian school in Alabama. They walked away with the big trophy and the title.
Howell with his son Laker and Laker’s partner Jantzen Leonard at the 2018 Bassmaster High School Championship
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GOOD TO HAVE A BREAK AT HOME
It feels good to finally be home for a little bit. We’ve been on the road for 4 1/2 weeks straight; so, coming home seems like a vacation. We will be hear for about 12 days.
We’ve just been spending time repairing things, doing maintenance, debris clean-up in the yard and things like that. In fact, I’ve got poison ivy all over me, from workin’ in the trees and helping our neighbor’s clear their lot on Lake Guntersville; but, it’s great to be here!
LAST EVENT OF THE YEAR
Next up, is the St. Lawrence River. I am looking forward to getting back to the smallmouth capital of the north. I really have a lot on the line, to get a high finish and move up in the points. I will be looking to find something to win it.
I want to win every time, of course. But, it is rare to get a win and I haven’t had one in a while. I would love for this event to be where I earn the blue trophy before the season is over. It would be nice.
THE HEART OF THE SEASON
Again, I want to share the moral of my story this year. I’ve been doing this for about 25 years now. I have had so many ups and downs. This sport is an emotional rollercoaster. No matter how good you get or how much you learn, you cannot control the conditions or outcome – anytime.
When it gets bad, you really have to do your best to stay positive, remember the good times, the good stuff that you’ve done, the good stuff that you’ve won and stay away from the bad. You have to shake it off and move on. You can over-analyze yourself to death and that won’t make you better. It will just make you exhausted.
Of course, you’ve always got to analyze for things that are in your control, like break-offs or lost fish. Anything that is my fault, I’ve got to do better at; but, that’s not what’s happened this year.
For me, it’s been one fish here or one fish there, that would’ve made a difference and put me in the cut. At the moment it happens, you never realize how important that one little fish could be in the end, that’s why you can never take anything for granted.
My faith in God is strong and I know that I’m out here for more than JUST fishing. I am out here to be a positive light in the fishing world. I know God always takes care of me and allows me to have what I have. If something doesn’t work out the way I want it to work out, I don’t like it sometimes; but I just have to shake it off and trust that He is in control of it ALL.
LOOKING AHEAD
Once the year wraps up – about late September – we will start to get some breathing room, do more ministry speaking and work on the King’s Home event with my boat give-away.
The give-away will be held November 17. Tickets are available right now on www.KingsHome.com. We will have more about that in the next issue.
Thanks for following us on Instagram and Facebook at www.RandyHowellFishing.com Good luck and God bless! •
https://www.kingshome.com/