Auburn leads National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship on Fort Loudoun Lake

The Auburn University team of Shaye Baker (left) and Dennis Parker (right) grabbed the overall lead at the 2010 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Photo by Gary Mortenson. Anglers: Dennis Parker, Shaye Baker.

April 10, 2010 • MLF • Abu Garcia College Fishing

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Auburn University team of Dennis Parker of Prattville, Ala., and Shaye Baker of Reeltown, Ala., took the early lead at the first National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship on Fort Loudoun Lake Saturday with six bass weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces. The national championship, featuring a $100,000 first-place award, is a three-day nationally televised event hosting the top 25 teams in the country.

“We started off the morning trying a few pickup spots trying to get a keeper on the way to our main spot,” said Baker, who is a senior Spanish international trade major. “We caught smaller fish on our main spot during practice, and it was tough, but we only caught six or seven non-keepers today, so all the little fish are gone. If you get a bite, it’s a good one.”

“We’re going to go out Sunday and do the same thing that worked for us the first day,” said Parker, a senior building science major. “We are aware that some fish are moving up and there’s word that some guys are catching them on the bed, so we may go check out some beds for Monday. If we can get a limit, it looks like we will make it to Monday.”

The remaining top 10 teams included:

2nd: Murray State University – Kalem Tippett of Murray Ky., and Steve Miller of Lincolnshire, Ill., (six bass, 15-12)

3rd: Texas A&M – Andrew Shafer of Chadfield, Texas, and Paul Manley of Orange, Texas, (six bass, 15-5)

4th: Texas State University – Jay McCollum of Athens, Texas, and David Cosner of Austin, Texas, (five bass, 13-3)

5th: Ohio State – Kevin Moeller and Casey Hammann, both of Cincinnati, Ohio, (four bass, 12-3).

6th: Indiana University – Jesse Schultz of New Albany, Ind., and Dustin Vaal of Saint Meinrad, Ind., (five bass, 8-6)

7th: N.C. State University – Ben Dziwulski of Woodbine, Md., and Kevin Beverley of Fuquay Varina, N.C., (four bass, 8-5)

8th: Auburn University – Richard Peek and Caleb Rodgers, both of Centre, Ala., (five bass, 8-1)

9th: Virginia Tech – Andrew Blevins of Pulaski, Va., and Carson Rejzer of Hampton, Va., (four bass, 6-13)

10th: Young Harris College – Clint McNeal of Hickory Flat, Ga., and Brad Rutherford of Lavonia, Ga., (three bass, 6-8)

A complete list of results can be found at:http://www.collegefishing.com/tournament.cfm

The teams, which represent the top five teams from each of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western – are the representatives from a tough season where teams fished four regular-season events in each division. The top five teams in each qualifying event advanced to one of five three-day National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championships. The top five teams from each of those regional tournaments are competing in Tennessee for the title of National Guard FLW Collegiate National Champion, who will also qualify for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup Aug. 5-8 at Lake Lanier in Atlanta, Ga. The winners will also receive use of a wrapped boat and Chevy truck for Cup competition.

College Fishing events are free to enter, boats and drivers are provided by FLW Outdoors and all collegiate teams receive a travel allowance. Each team competing in the national championship is sporting jerseys and fishing out of wrapped Ranger boats towed by Chevy trucks for the competition.

Daily takeoffs for the event will be at 7 a.m. at Ned McWherter Riverside Landing Park located at 1648 Riverside Drive in Knoxville. Daily weigh-ins will be at 4 p.m. at TRECS Plaza on the University of Tennessee campus located at 2106 Andy Holt Ave, Lot 20 in Knoxville.

Country music star Lee Brice will be performing Sunday at 3 p.m. at TRECS Plaza prior to the weigh-in. Along with the concert, FLW Outdoors will be hosting the College Fishing Festival, which runs from noon to 4 p.m. through Monday, April 12 with activities including the National Guard Challenge, climbing wall and paintball. All activities including the concert are free and open to the public. Fans can also register for cash prizes presented by US Bank.

Each regular-season College Fishing event boasts a top cash award of $10,000 to be split evenly between the university and the university’s bass-fishing club. Regional events tout a top award of a Ranger 177TR with a 90-horsepower engine wrapped in school colors for their school’s bass club and $25,000 for the school they represent. The national championship awards the top team with $25,000 cash, a Ranger 177TR with a 90-horsepower engine wrapped in school colors for their school’s bass club and $50,000 for the school they represent. The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, offers anglers the chance to win a top award of $600,000.

For more information about the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship, visit CollegeFishing.com.

About FLW Outdoors

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 189 tournaments in 2010. FLW Outdoors has also taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing awarding the largest prizes in the history of fantasy sports. FLW Outdoors memberships are available featuring numerous benefits including Player’s Advantage. For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FantasyFishing.com.