The group of 2025 graduate Max Moore, senior Mark Cerja, along with juniors Peyton Hills and Tyler Page traveled to Clark’s Hill Reservoir in Appling, Georgia July 31-Aug. 2 for the competition. They qualified through their accumulation of Angler of the Year points, with Cerja and Hills placing first and Moore and Page second.
Cerja and Hills were also named Anglers of the Year.
And while they didn’t bring any trophies from nationals, the event was a memorable experience for the quartet. The tournament featured the top 250 teams out of more than 14,000 nationwide and Aledo had the most competitors of any Texas team at the event.
The club is not to be confused with the Aledo Anglers high school team for Aledo High School. That team competes in the Texas High School Bass Association.
“Nationals was a huge learning experience for Tyler and me. Everything was different, from the heat, scenery, and definitely fishing,” Max Moore said. “Being able to fish in a lake that we haven’t had the opportunity to fish before was an incredible experience that I’m so glad I was able to be a part of.
“Since the bass in that region fed on a different type of bait fish, it made the fishing nothing like I’ve ever witnessed before.”
He added that catching fish in 100-plus feet of water was not what he was expecting, but it fueled the fire to return and in the meantime keep practicing.
Hills agreed that Clark’s Hill presented a unique challenge. Unlike the shad-based lakes in Texas, it is a herring lake, requiring a completely different approach to fishing.
“Adjusting to these conditions provided a valuable learning experience that will benefit my fishing career moving forward,” he said, adding, “Although the final placement was not as high as hoped, simply qualifying for nationals and competing against the top high school anglers from across the nation is a significant achievement.”
Cerja said he knew when the lake was announced as the site for nationals it would be challenging, but added that new waters can be exciting. He said before the tournament he spent countless hours researching the lake.
“I noticed that the two ways to win this event was to either chase big large mouth out in 100 feet of water, or to chase big large mouth up shallow,” he said. “I knew to give myself and my partner (Hills) we were going to chase the shallow large mouth pattern.”
Cerja and Hills stood in 180th place after two days, but they did not advance to the finals. Nonetheless, he said he is proud of all he and his fellow anglers had to accomplish to get there.
“I have been blessed to travel the country many times for competitive bass fishing. Even though this event didn’t go the way I wanted, I still had a lot of fun and definitely left it all out on the water,” he said. “I know how hard it is to get to this event and the grit and grind it takes to win an event as large as the national championship.
“The hundreds of great anglers we had to overcome in Texas is something we should be proud of. I’m going to work as hard as I can to make it back to the national championship next year.”
Meanwhile, Max Moore said he plans to pursue a professional fishing career going forward.
Page said one of the most memorable parts of the experience was the great treatment he and his teammates received. He called the event an unforgettable milestone.
“The tournament staff, sponsors, and volunteers treated us as true professionals, not just high school kids,” he said. “We had to keep our heads down, grind, and persevere all year just to earn our spot — and making it there was an incredible reward.”
Team Captain Christopher Moore, who created Anglers of Aledo, said the team’s challenges extended beyond the tournament. They had a tire blow out on the drive to Georgia and one teammate, Page, suffered from heat exhaustion, though he fought through and fished from beneath a bridge in the shade.
“I was extremely proud of and impressed at how these boys not only took the shortcomings in stride, but were able to switch gears and give it their all until the final bell, even when they knew they didn’t have time to make a comeback,” he said.
“Friendship, teamwork, and the loyalty these boys have for each other will serve these boys well beyond what bringing home the prize would have.
“I wouldn’t change this experience if I could.”
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