Ohio State University leads National Guard FLW College Fishing event on Kentucky Lake

MURRAY, Ky. – The Ohio State University team of Casey Hammann and Kevin Moeller, both of Cincinnati, took the early lead at the National Guard FLW College Fishing Central Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake Saturday with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces.

Hammann and Moeller were looking for schooling fish on secondary points at a wildlife refuge when they became aware this was their only day to fish there for it would be off limits beginning Nov. 1.

“We saw them there and just tried to catch them,” said Moeller, a senior majoring in accounting. “We knew we would be able to whack them there because we knew we wouldn’t be able to go back and sure enough they were in there.

“That was the one spot we were finding quality fish. We found keepers in other spots, but that spot is where we were finding quality. So even though we knew we only had one day in there, we knew we had to go get them.”

Hammann and Moeller caught fish throughout the day, but concentrated three hours in one spot to catch all of their keepers.

“Our fish that we kept came from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” said Moeller.

Not being able to return to the wildlife refuge for the remaining two days, Moeller and Hammann said they are at a loss of where to fish for the remainder of the tournament, but will apply what they learned today to other spots.

Hammann and Moeller, both members of the National Guard, said to hold the top spot on day one was very inspiring to them. “I think it’s pretty cool because obviously I joined the [National] Guard long before this even started and just the fact that this came together and I’m in the National Guard means a lot,” Moeller said.

“It’s great because you get to represent the [National] Guard, the school and as the only team from Ohio, we get to represent our state too, which works out,” added Hammann, who is a senior and majoring in agricultural business.

Rounding out the top five teams are Murray State University – Steve Miller and Kalem Tippett, both of Murray, Ky., (six bass, 13-9); Eastern Kentucky University – Richard Cobb of Richmond, Ky., and Tyler Moberly of Berea, Ky., (six bass, 13-7); University of Missouri – Andrew Bornholdt of Pacific, Mo., and Scott Dooley of Quincy, Ill., (four bass, 9-7); Truman State University – Spencer Clark of Florissant, Mo., and Mike McCarthy Jr., (four bass, 9-6).

Each school represented in the televised Regional Championship have team shirts and boats provided by Ranger. The purse for each Regional Championship includes a Ranger 177TR with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Yamaha outboard wrapped in school colors for the winning club and $25,000 for the school they represent. Awards of $6,000 also extend through fifth place for the club and school to split evenly.

Anglers will take off from Kenlake Marina located at 888 Kenlake Marina Lane in Hardin, Ky., at 7 a.m. Sunday and Monday. Weigh-ins will be held at Roy Stewart Stadium on the campus of the University of Murray beginning at 4 p.m. each day. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Qualified teams in the Central Regional Championship include Arkansas Tech University, Eastern Kentucky University, Henderson State, Indiana University, Kansas State University, Murray State University, Ohio State University, Ohio University, Southern Illinois University, Truman State University, University of Arkansas at Monticello, University of Central Arkansas, University of Iowa, University of Missouri, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, University of Wisconsin – Stout, Western Kentucky University and Western Michigan University.

In conjunction with the Central Regional Championship, the Reel Life Festival, which features live music, the National Guard Warrior Challenge and free giveaways and prizes, including iPod Nano’s and a MacBook Air, will be held on Monday beginning at 4 p.m. outside Roy Stewart Stadium. For complete details, visit CollegeFishing.com.

FLW Outdoors announced the College Fishing trail in May 2008. Additional information for the Central Regional Championship can be found by visiting CollegeFishing.com along with rules, requirements and information on how to create a bass club.

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 and $2,000 through 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 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 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 purse for the championship ranges from $25,000 cash and a Ranger 177TR with a 90-horsepower Evinrude or Yamaha outboard wrapped in school colors for the winning club and $50,000 for the school they represent to $15,000 for fifth, split between the club and school.

The winning team will be declared the National Guard FLW Collegiate National Champion and will qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup in 2010. The winners will also receive use of a wrapped boat and Chevy truck for the Forrest Wood Cup.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. FLW Outdoors also has taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports. Sign up for Player’s Advantage to get your edge and win.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.