With his father at his side on the same boat on Lake St. Clair, Austin Koleszar of Howell recently secured a spot on the Bass Nation State Team and the 2026 Bass Nation Championship representing Michigan.
This is especially exciting for Austin Koleszar, who fishes to follow in the footsteps of his father, Jim Koleszar, a two-time star champion who made the state team more than seven times.
One of the elder Koleszar’s wins came on Lake St. Clair in the 1980s, where he also finished second in the Bassmaster Top 150 fishing as a co-angler. He brought his baby son on stage with him for the weigh in in 1999 (see the photo below).
The father-son pair has been making splashes in the Bass Nation world for decades. This is Austin Koleszar’s first time qualifying for the state team. Finishing in fourth place allowed him to skip the regional qualifier and jump right to the nations, and he got to do it with his dad by his side.
“This is something I’ve been working hard toward,” Austin Koleszar said. “It means even more to have had my father there to see me do it. He has an incredible history int he state championship and on the state team, so I’m proud to start my own.”
