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BY DAVE LINK
Bryson Hatcher and Riley Faulkner are ready to take the next steps in their fishing careers – but only after the spring of their high school seasons.
Hatcher is a senior on the William Blount Fishing Team and Faulkner is a senior on the Campbell County Fishing Team.
Both recently signed to fish in college – Hatcher at Bryan College and Faulkner at Carson-Newman.
It’s been a long time coming, earning fishing scholarships. Both have fished most of their lives.
“I always hoped it would happen,” Faulkner said. “It was always my goal to go fish in college, ever since college fishing became a thing.”
Riley Faulkner signed a college fishing scholarship with Carson-Newman.
Hatcher feels blessed.
“I didn’t really think it was going to happen,” he said, “but God has a plan, I guess.”
Hatcher visited the Bryan College campus in Dayton, Tennessee, about a month before signing.
It was a perfect fit.
He didn’t hesitate when he got the offer from Bryan College coach Mike Keen.
“I absolutely love it,” Hatcher said of Bryan College. “It’s small, it’s on the lake, it’s a Christian-based School. I just love it.”
The Bryan College campus is located next to Chickamauga Lake, where Hatcher and his cousin, eighth grader Harlyn Nelson, competed for William Blount Fishing on Saturday in a Tennessee BASS Nation Southeast division event.
Hatcher and Nelson attend Samuel Everett School of Innovation and fish for the William Blount team. They had an 11th place finish a couple years ago in the Battle of Chickamauga Classic in a field of more than 300 boats.
Hatcher will pursue bass fishing through college, then head into a related field.
“I plan on fishing a lot,” he said, “but I’m going to study environmental science and hopefully get in fishery management, be a wildlife resource officer, or a park ranger, whichever.”
Bryson Hatcher signed a college fishing scholarship with Bryan College.
Faulkner, meanwhile, wants to be on the Major League Fishing circuit in a few years.
If not, he’s got a backup plan.
When he’s not fishing or going to school, Faulkner works for his father, Jack, who owns a construction business.
“My goal is to make it to be a professional (bass fisherman),” Faulkner said. “That’s my goal. If all else fails, my dad has a construction company and I’ll keep working there.”
Faulkner is finishing a highly successfully career for the Campbell County Fishing Team.
He and Blake Roberts, a junior, won the Brandon Card College and High School Bass Open in December on Norris Lake. They also were the 2021 Bass Pro High School Team of the Year, and Faulkner won Bass Pro points races as a freshman and junior with a top-three finish as a sophomore.
When he goes to Carson-Newman, Faulkner won’t be a stranger.
He knows several members of the C-N Fishing Team.
Faulkner’s fishing partner at Campbell County during his freshman year, Austin Smith, is currently a junior for the Eagle Anglers.
“I know (Smith) and Hayden Gaddis (of Seymour) and a bunch of those boys who fish up there,” Faulkner said. “It’s a lot easier knowing people and knowing you don’t have to go up there and meet strangers, already having friends up there.”