FLW photo
The Fresno State team of Nicholas Thao of Clovis, Calif., and Che Yang of Fresno, Calif., won the National Guard FLW College Fishing Western Division tournament on Lake Shasta Saturday with six bass weighing 10 pounds, 7 ounces. The victory earned the team $10,000 to be split evenly between the school and the school’s bass-fishing club.
“Man, it was a tough bite,” said Thao, a senior public health major. “I caught the last one 10 seconds before we had to come in. Che was cleaning up the deck to come in. I was like, ‘Oh, man, I can’t give up. Last cast.’”
Thao said he and Yang targeted rocky walls 25 to 40 feet deep with drop-shot rigs. Theo said he tipped his rig with a Roboworm while Yang used a custom worm and said their first fish was boated about 8:30 a.m. The pair caught a total of nine fish throughout the course of the day.
“This feels great,” said Yang, a senior health science major. “It’s nice to be on the water fishing and doing something you love to do.
“We did our research and got prepared for this lake,” Yang continued. “We were ready.”
Rounding out the top five teams are Sonoma State University – Jared Biddle and Nate Shankles, both of Rohnert Park, Calif. (six bass, 9-9, $5,000); Arizona State University – Joseph Jarrell of Phoenix and Mark Walker of Tempe, Ariz., (six bass, 8-15, $4,000); Chico State – Parker Moran and Marshal Smith, both of Chico, Calif. (six bass, 8-11, $3,000); California Poly– Scott Hellesen and Damian Bean, both of San Luis Obispo, Calif. (six bass, 8-8, $2,000).
FLW Outdoors announced the College Fishing trail in May 2008. Full-time students enrolled in four year colleges or universities are eligible to participate in the events. Schools can send two-person teams to each of the four qualifying events in their division, with each event limited to a maximum of 40 teams. Each team has the opportunity to win $10,000 for first through $2,000 for fifth place. Prize money is split evenly between the winning team’s club and the school they represent. The tournaments are free to enter, boats and drivers are provided by FLW and all collegiate teams receive a travel allowance. The top five teams in each qualifying event advance to one of five televised three-day National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championships.
The top five teams from each regional championship will advance to the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship.
The National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship is a three-day televised event hosting the top five teams from each regional, 25 total teams. Teams will be provided shirts and wrapped Ranger boats towed by Chevy trucks for this competition.
The winning team will be declared the National Guard FLW Collegiate National Champion and will qualify for the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup. The winners will also receive use of a wrapped boat and Chevy truck for cup competition.
