GOOD HOPE — Jake Mann had a tough decision to make this summer.

After spending the summer as a co-angler on the BFL Bama Trail, Mann decided he wanted to finish out the BFL season and try to qualify for the regional tournament at South Carolina’s Lake Murray.

But there was one catch: If Mann finished out the BFL season, he wouldn’t be able to play football at Good Hope High this year.

Even though Mann had been playing football since he was in elementary school, the Good Hope junior went with his gut and chose bass fishing over the pigskin.

“It was a tough decision,” Mann said. “I just had to do what I thought was best for my future. Football is fun, and I’ve always enjoyed playing. But more than likely, my football career will end when I graduate from high school.

“But fishing is something I plan on doing after high school. And if I stick with it, there’s a chance I could be a pro angler one day.”

As of right now, Mann doesn’t regret his decision. But that doesn’t mean he won’t miss football — especially once the season begins.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll miss (playing football),” Mann said. “That’s going to happen when I’m sitting in the stands listening to the band play. But deep down inside, I know I made the right decision.”

Judging from what Mann has accomplished as a co-angler on the BFL Bama circuit, the Good Hope junior may be right.

Just over halfway through his first season, Mann has posted three top 10 finishes and won over $700. But more importantly, the 16-year-old co-angler has been able to learn a thing or two about bass fishing along the way.

“I’m one of the youngest people fishing the trail,” said Mann, who is currently the third-ranked co-angler on the BFL Bama Trail. “Most of the people I’ve been paired up with have been doing this for a lot longer than me. So I’ve been able to watch how different people fish and pick up a few things at the same time.”

Fishing may not be contagious, but Mann caught the passion from someone else: His father, Terry.

“My dad has been a boater on the BFL for a few years,” Mann said. “He’s the one that got me into fishing. he’s been carrying me all over the state this summer to tournaments.”

Even though Mann’s father is a BFL boater, the father-son duo haven’t been paired together in a tournament. In fact, Mann usually doesn’t get to meet his partner until the day of the tournament.

But even though Mann has been fishing in tournaments with strangers, he’s been able to meet some interesting people.

“They’ve all been pretty good guys,” he said. “We usually have an opportunity to get acquainted before we go out, but it’s not long. But going out with different people has helped me become a better angler.”

Mann’s partners on the BFL Bama Trail aren’t the only ones helping the Good Hope youngster in his pursuit of a pro fishing career. He also has a bass fishing mentor in Gerald Swindle.

According to Mann, Swindall has been able to help the young co-angler this year by providing tips about the different lakes on the Bama Trail.

“(Swindall) has been a big help,” Mann said. “The knowledge he’s been able to pass along has been really helpful.”

Mann may not have an entire BFL season under his belt yet, but the Good Hope junior still has goals set.

This year, Mann wants to be ranked in the top 40 when the BFL’s regular season ends — which would qualify him for the regional in South Carolina. But next year, the Good Hope junior wants to step it up a notch and fish on the Stren Series.

“If I can fish on the Stren, that would be a big step up,” said Mann, who is sponsored by Buck’s Island Marine. “That’s when the competition will start to get stiff.

“But my goal is to eventually fish on the FLW Tour. So I plan to do whatever it takes to get there. I hope to have my own boat in about a year, and I plan to keep on fishing.”