The continued growth of the Salem High School bass fishing program was on full display once again at Forbes Lake, as the Wildcats’ team of Kai Graham and Mya Russell reeled in their second straight IHSA Bass Fishing Regional championship.
Graham and Russell brought in an impressive 13.5-pound limit, finishing atop the leaderboard for the second year in a row. Graham also landed the fish of the day, earning Big Bass honors to cap off another dominant performance for Salem.
The Wildcats also had another boat represent them well, as Lucas Hodge and Zane Barthelemy finished 7th. Both anglers are set to continue their fishing careers at the next level, as they will compete for Wabash Valley College next year.
The regional title is yet another sign that Salem’s bass fishing program is becoming a consistent contender, and for Russell, it’s coming during an especially memorable stretch for her family. The win comes just days after her brother, Hunter Russell, made headlines by capturing a Major League Fishing title, adding even more excitement to what has been a huge week for the Russell name in competitive fishing.
Other teams advancing out of the Forbes Lake Regional included Highland Boats 1 and 2, along with Patoka Boat 1, as Ben Spencer and Kody Burkes secured a strong 4th-place finish. Patoka’s second boat narrowly missed qualifying, falling just one spot short of the top six.
Also competing at Forbes, the SC boats finished 10th and 19th, while Centralia placed 12th and 17th.
Meanwhile at Rend Lake, both Mt. Vernon boats came up short of advancing, with Boat 1 finishing 8th and Boat 2 placing 9th.
Waltonville’s team of Ryley Stewart and Chase Kujawa captured their own repeat performance, winning their second straight regional title after bringing in a tournament-best 15.10 pounds.
For Salem, the message is clear — the Wildcats aren’t just participating anymore. They’re winning, and they’re building a program that continues to make noise across the state.
