Meet the Tigers

Auburn University teammates Matt and Jordan Lee share their thoughts on qualifying for the 2012 National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship

Representing the hometown school, Auburn's Jordan Lee and Matt Lee will utilize frogs and dropshots in their final-round arsenal. Photo by David A. Brown. Anglers: Jordan Lee, Shaye Baker, Matt Lee.

March 2, 2012 • Gary Mortenson • Abu Garcia College Fishing

(Editor’s note: Leading up to the 2012 National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship – slated for April 13-15 on Lake Murray in Columbia, S.C. – CollegeFishing.com will publish weekly, in-depth features stories of each of the 25 national championship team 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 2012 Forrest Wood Cup.)

Name: Jordan Lee (pictured on left)

Class: Junior

Major: Marketing

Hometown: Cullman, Ala.

Other interests: Five or six guys on the fishing team and I will go shoot pool once a week. I also play “Call of Duty” some and try my best, but I am not a gamer like (Kennesaw State University qualifier) Tom Frink.

Name: Matt Lee (pictured on right)

Class: Alumni

Major: Fisheries and Wildlife

Hometown: Alto, Ga.

Other interests: Hunting, camping, and spending time with family and friends.

Club Web site: www.Auburn.edu/bass

Q&A

CollegeFishing.com: How were you introduced to fishing?

Jordan Lee: I was introduced to fishing when I was around 6 or 7. My mom would take Matt and I to the Lake Guntersville and we would fish off the bank for bream or whatever else would bite. I really got the fishing bug when I was 10 years old at my grandparent’s pond. I remember vividly catching two, 5-plus-pound largemouth bass. That is something I will never forget. From that day on it’s all I ever wanted to do. I have to give a lot of credit to my mom, dad and my pops for putting a rod and reel in my hand at such a young age.

Matt Lee: My parents had a boat on Lake Guntersville when my brother and I were really young. They bought us some Zebco rods to use around the marina and it was pretty much over after that. I fell in love with fishing. I saw Mike Iaconelli win the ’03 Bassmaster Classic and then break dance and I said, “That’s cool, I want to do that for a living.” And not much has changed since.

CollegeFishing.com: What style/method of fishing are you most comfortable with?

Jordan Lee: I like all styles of fishing but by far my favorite way to catch fish is flipping matted grass. Whether it is matted bank grass or milfoil, bringing a fish out of the thickest stuff is a fun way to catch them. My second favorite way to catch them is sight-fishing – it is addicting! My biggest weakness would have to be throwing a swimbait. It is one of those baits I don’t know when to pick up, or when I need to set it down.

Matt Lee: I really try to be very versatile with my fishing. With the competition that is out there today, if you want to succeed, you have got to be able to catch them in anywhere from 2 to 20 feet of water, and be able to fish water anywhere from 35 to 95 degrees. As far as style, I love throwing a rat, a big swimbait and sight-fishing as those techniques are tough to beat.

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?

Jordan Lee: It felt great to make it back again, especially when you qualify for the championship with your brother. Shaye Baker and I finished third last year, so I really want to bring the FLW College Fishing National Championship back to Auburn. We have been so close so many times in big events and have yet to get the job done. Maybe this year will be our year, but we will just wait and see. To prepare for this event I am going to put in around five days or so days before the cutoff to look around. Another way I am preparing for this event is to go fishing every weekend; there is no substitute for time on the water!

Matt Lee: It has just been a rollercoaster ride from the beginning. My brother qualified for the national championship last year and I really wanted to make it this year. I set it as a top goal for me. We didn’t make the top-five cut at Guntersville, which really hurt. However, we made it into the Pickwick derby at the last minute. And in the final 10 minutes of that tournament, we caught two good fish that put us in the top five. At the regional, we slipped but still managed to make it into the top-five cut by ounces. To say it has been an easy road would be a lie. But I’m convinced that everything happens for a reason and God is in control. If He can find it in his will for us to win this event, I promise not to second guess him!

As far as preparation is concerned, I will probably spend a few days just learning the lake before the cutoff. I know Murray has some real quality fish in it. With the tournament scheduled for the spring, it could be a sight-fishing deal – which I think might play into our hands. However, we could face a cold front and the fishing could b really tough. We will just have to wait and see. But don’t count us out!

CollegeFishing.com: Tell us something interesting about yourself that most people wouldn’t know.

Jordan Lee: This is a tough one … most people don’t know that my front teeth are fake, knocked them out on a curb when I was about seven!

Matt Lee: I found out last fall that I am a Type-1 diabetic. It has been a lifestyle change for sure but a blessing in that I have never really felt bad from the illness. I have taken full control of my symptoms and my sugar levels. It has really changed my outlook on life.

On a lighter note, I am a clean freak. Things need to be kept neat and clean. I cannot work or live in a cluttered environment. And let’s just say I love my brother. But come on dude, pick up just a little!