(Editor’s note: Leading up to the 2011 National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship, slated to be held April 7-9 on Kentucky Lake at Murray State University, CollegeFishing.com will be publishing semiweekly feature stories highlighting the 25 national championship qualifiers. At stake in the tournament is a first-place prize package worth $100,000 as well as a chance for the winning team to compete in the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup.)
Class: Senior
Major: Biology
Hometown: Falls Church, Va.
Other interests: Baseball, sports, saltwater fishing
Class: Senior
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Fairfax, Va.
Other interests: I love lacrosse and played it in college for two years before giving it up to become more serious with fishing. I also love watching sports and having a good time with friends.
Club Web site:http://freeteams.net/cnufishing
Q&A
CollegeFishing.com: How were you introduced to fishing?
Wilkerson: I was originally introduced to fishing by my grandfather. As my interest grew, I began fishing with my one of my good friends and his dad. They took me out in their bass boat and my interest grew with every trip. I was sold on tournament bass fishing when I traveled with them up to Lake Champlain. We caught a bunch of huge smallmouth and that’s the moment I knew this was what I really loved to do. After that trip, I decided to enter my first tournaments.
Ingalls: I fished as a kid with my grandfather catching trout and salmon. I was introduced to bass fishing my sophomore year of college by my current teammate Joe Wilkerson. Joe convinced me to participate the first year of college tournaments. After the first event I knew it was something I wanted to do. It was also the deciding factor in giving up playing lacrosse at the collegiate level to put the time into fishing that I wanted to. I now own my own boat and fish every second I have a chance too.
CollegeFishing.com: What style/method of fishing are you most comfortable with?
Wilkerson: Growing up fishing small ponds in urban areas, I would say I am most comfortable fishing plastics or finesse presentations. Everybody would throw crankbaits and spinnerbaits, but I would always try to throw something a little bit different and I think that mentality has carried over into my tournament fishing.
Ingalls: I think I’m most comfortable fishing any sort of grass, really. Living so close to the Potomac River I spend a lot of time fishing grass, so I have a really good idea of what I want to be doing around that type of cover. I like to fish moving baits but also don’t mind slowing it down with worms and other finesse baits.
CollegeFishing.com: What did it feel like to qualify for the 2011 FLW College Fishing National Championship? How do you plan to prepare for the big event?
Wilkerson: The feeling was unbelievable, and it’s only starting to set in. In the regional event, my partner and I needed one big fish to fill out our limit on day two. As soon as we got the word “kicker” out our mouths I set the hook on a 4-pounder. When we got that fish in the net, the feeling was unbelievable. Right then, we knew we had secured our spot in the top five and were going to the National Championship. There were no camera boats on us at the time, but I’m pretty sure everyone on the lake knew we had just caught a good fish because we went absolutely crazy!
We will prepare by getting out to pre-fish as much as possible. It’s a bit of a drive for us, but we’re going to find ways to get out there a few times before the championship starts.
Ingalls: It is an amazing accomplishment. Qualifying for the regional tournament was a big deal to me. Two years ago when we started fishing college tournaments, it was only a dream to fish in the championship. Most people who are not up on the sport do not understand how big of a deal it is and how much work we have put into this. The other anglers we are fishing against are no joke either. They are the future of the sport so it is amazing to have made it this far. We will put many hours in on Kentucky Lake and on the road driving there. I have adjusted my schedule to only have classes Tuesday through Thursday to allow us even more time pre-fishing for the tournament. We have done something that most anglers will never experience in their careers – being in a televised tournament – and we get to go out and do it again in a few months. It’s hard to put into words the excitement I’m feeling.
CollegeFishing.com: Tell us something interesting about yourself that most people wouldn’t know.
Wilkerson: I sunk a boat with a buddy of mine when we were pre-fishing for the Lake Champlain qualifying event. There were 4-foot waves that day and our motor stalled out in the middle of the lake. It was one of those things you think would only happen to someone else. We had to have the coast guard rescue us and everything. Looking back, since no one got hurt, it’s pretty funny and definitely makes for a good fishing story.
Ingalls: I interned for the Washington Redskins this past summer. I aspire to be a talent agent and to represent the best athletes in the world (and maybe even myself one day if I become good enough at fishing). I also totaled my car while practicing for the Northern Regional on Jordan Lake.