The bass fishing team at Northwestern State University is one of many registered student organizations that students can join. The team allows students who have an interest in fishing to not only pursue fishing further but also travel and make new friends while doing something they love.
Ayden Slack is a freshman communication major who has always enjoyed fishing and knew that he wanted to continue fishing while in college. “I have liked fishing my whole life, but when COVID hit, it became my escape. I found a love for competitive bass fishing,” Slack said. “When I toured NSU and learned about the various travel and scholarship opportunities with the fishing team, I was hooked.”
Being on the fishing team is a great way to continue enjoying a hobby, but it can also be time-consuming. The team is always on the move from state to state for tournaments, so they have to find ways to balance their academics while being on the team. “Communication is key. Before tournaments, I speak to my professors and explain the situation,” Slack said. “I have also found that it helps to take a mix of in-person and online classes, that way I can do some homework while traveling.”
The team has to be well-prepared for the tournaments in addition to balancing their schoolwork. Keith Gallagher is a freshman biology and math major who believes the first few days on the lake are incredibly important for determining how the tournament will play out. “Normally, we go three to four days early to prepare,” Gallagher said. “Those three to four days are where we practice fishing and learn the lake. These are places we’ve never been before and, with it being our freshman year, we have to figure them out.”
While balancing both academics and preparing for tournaments can be stressful, there’s also fun that comes with it. Gallagher’s favorite memory was fishing the Harris Chain of Lakes with his partner. “When we got near Orlando the first day and got on the water, it was really windy and started raining. We still had to figure out the lake and my partner had forgotten a rain jacket, so he sat there for about five hours in the sopping wet rain,” Gallagher said.
Next year, the team hopes to qualify and place in the top ten in Major League Fishing as well as the Bassmaster Collegiate Championship. Liam Pachankis is a freshman business administration major who is hoping for major improvements in their ranking. “We’re currently ranked ninth in the country and MLF, and are aiming to improve,” Panchankis said.
Pachankis also encourages students to talk and learn more about the organization. “Just come to us and talk about it. It’s a really fun organization where you get to have fun experiences and make great memories,” Pachankis said.
