LSU fishing team members were feeling pretty confident about their chances of defending their Bassmaster College Series title, having located some nice bedding fish on Cross Lake.
And the three two-man Tiger teams did bring a few over-the-slot lunkers to the scales. However, Arkansas team members managed to stick an extra weigh fish, and that was the difference.
While LSU racked up 18 pounds, 7 ounces and LSU-Shreveport weighed in with 2 pounds, 14 ounces, the Razorbacks slapped 26 pounds of bass onto the scales.
“The fishing was slow,” said Razorback Jared Kennemer. “The fish didn’t start biting till after noon.”
The three two-angler teams bringing in the winning bag for the Razorbacks included Kennemer and Paul Lafleur, Mook Miller and Kyle Billingsly, and Kenneth Anderson and Drew Porto.
“Standing on the Bassmaster Classic stage right now–this is amazing,” Miller said during the weigh-in. “Hopefully I get to do this again someday in my life.”
Each school competing in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Classic fielded three tow-man teams.
College teams also participate in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. The collegiate-level tour began in 2005, and now consists of teams of anglers representing more than 50 colleges and universities throughout the U.S.
In 2012, the teams will compete for more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. One team will send an angler to the 2013 Bassmaster Classic.
As a result of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series of regional events, two-angler teams are sent to the annual College B.A.S.S. National Championship. The top four schools compete in a bracket format that decides the Bassmaster Classic qualifier.
To be eligible for the College Bassmaster Series, schools must be members of the B.A.S.S. College Federation and each member must be a B.A.S.S. member.
Keep up with all the Classic developments on the dedicated Bassmaster Classic Status Page, which includes a stream of stories, photo galleries, a list of competitors, videos and (when competition begins) leaderboards.