Patrick Parker and Nolyn Glacken will be on the water at Kentucky Lake this week, doing what they have spent years learning to do. The Carroll County High School anglers are headed to the KHSAA state bass fishing tournament, earning their spot with a strong performance at regionals.
The path to state included navigating a crowded field at Lake Cumberland.
“There were 145 boats in our region, and the top 30 go to state,” Nolyn said. “We finished 11th.”
It was a finish that came with a small setback. One of their fish died during the tournament, resulting in a half-pound penalty. Still, it was more than enough to punch their ticket to Kentucky Lake, where about 90 of the state’s top teams will compete.
Both anglers bring years of experience to the boat. Nolyn has been fishing his entire life and started competing in seventh grade. Patrick followed a similar path, growing up around the sport and entering competitive fishing in eighth grade.
Their preparation is a mix of experience, strategy and constant adjustment. In the days leading up to a tournament, they spend time on the water searching for patterns and marking productive spots.
“You try to find what they’re set up on,” Patrick said. “It might be rock, it might be wood. You can fish one area and catch nothing, then pull up to a downed tree and catch a bunch. You’ve got to figure out what they’re doing.”
That process becomes even more important at the state level, where familiarity with the lake can be a major advantage.
“You’re going against people who know the lake better,” Nolyn said. “A lot of them fish there all the time.”
Patrick agreed. “You’re going against the best in the state. Some of them have lake houses and fish every day. We have to figure it out in just a day or two.”
Even with that challenge, both anglers are confident.
“I think we’ve got a good chance if we can figure them out,” Nolyn said.
Patrick didn’t hesitate. “It’s not even a question. We’re winning.”
That confidence comes from countless hours on the water and a deep understanding of the sport. Success in bass fishing depends on everything from weather and water conditions to time of year and fish behavior.
“Wind, rain, water level, how clear the water is, all of that matters,” Patrick said.
Those conditions influence everything, including lure selection. “If the water’s clear, you want something more natural,” he explained. “If it’s dirty, you go with darker colors so the fish can see it.”
Tournament rules add another layer of strategy. Teams can keep up to five fish, aiming for the highest total weight. As they catch more, they can replace smaller fish with larger ones, a process known as culling. Keeping the fish healthy is also critical.
“We take really good care of them,” Nolyn said. “We use G Juice to keep them calm and not stressed.”
The pair also compete beyond KHSAA events, fishing multiple tournament trails throughout the year, often traveling to different lakes every weekend. That experience helped them qualify for the Bassmaster nationals last year .