Youth anglers to compete in Zimbabwe event

USAngling announced that a team of American high school anglers has accepted an invitation to compete in the Tri Nations Cup in the African nation of Zimbabwe. The event will be held Dec. 9-12 at Mazvikadei Dam.

The 13-member U.S. team, which will compete against squads from the host nation and South Africa, will be coached by Jason Uldrych of Tinley Park, Ill.

“I’ve known (USAngling Freshwater Sports Director Mike McNett) for several years and he’s always talking about fishing World Championships," said Uldrych. "I never thought I would be coaching a USA Bass Youth Team. It’s an honor to represent the United States in a Tri Nations tournament, especially in an Olympic year.”

McNett has been planning for the event since he met with Karl Eckard, president of the Zimbabwe Bass Federation, and Craig Fraser from the South African Fishing Federation at a conference in Cape Town, South Africa earlier this year.

“This is the type of event we want to see happening across the globe," said John Knight, vice president of CIPS (the governing body of international fishing competition). "Nations working together to train the next generation of anglers to represent their countries is paramount for all nations that compete in the annual angling World Championships.”

Mazvikadei Dam, the third-largest reservoir in Zimbabwe, provides water for farm irrigation and is also a popular recreation destination. It's home to Florida-strain largemouths that frequently grow to weigh more than 7 pounds.

The 2025 Tri Nations Cup will be held in South Africa. Discussions are under way to conduct the first Youth Bass World Championship in 2026, possibly in Hot Springs, Ark.

To see biographies of the anglers who'll comprise the U.S. team, click here.

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