Hooking a bass just minutes before the end of competition was enough to send Lipscomb’s fishing club to the nationally televised competition this month in Orlando.
The two Lipscomb fishermen qualified for that regional competition – and a shot at qualifying for the nationals — by placing in the top five at a bass club fishing event last week in Alabama.
James Crague, junior in corporate management, and Bobby Blackwell, junior in accounting, earned their first-ever top 10 finish and qualified for the regionals at the National Guard FLW College Fishing Southeast Division event.
Crague said that their success at the event was due to Blackwell’s ability to catch their final fish only 30 minutes before the competition’s end.
Blackwell and Crague at a fishing tournament.
“It was our last chance to qualify,” Crague said. “Barely squeaked into the regional thanks to some last minute heroics from Bobby.”
“You receive money for your club and for your school,” Crague said, noting the club took home a $2,000 prize.
The regional competition will be held in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 21-23 and will be televised on Versus at noon on Nov. 21.
According to Blackwell, the team’s plan for regionals is simple: “go out there and fish the best we can, make top five and go to nationals.”
Crague said he was extremely nervous about the event but is aware of the possible rewards.
“It’s on TV,” he said. “To be part of that is pretty gratifying.”
Blackwell and Crague began fishing together after they met during their freshman year of college, but they didn’t begin competing until this year. In January, they developed Lipscomb’s bass fishing club.
“We saw it on ESPN, and we thought we’d start a club,” Crague said.
While the two are currently the only members, Blackwell said he hopes the club will grow to be more like other universities’ clubs, which often range in membership from 30-40.
Blackwell and Crague both said they enjoy the mental aspect of fishing.
“I like the competition and being able to figure it out,” Blackwell said. “And when you do figure it out, you get rewarded.”
“It’s kind of like a puzzle,” Crague said. “It’s different every day. When you finally figure it out, it feels pretty good.”