The old adage that a bad day fishing beats a good day working doesn’t apply to the UL Lafayette Ragin’ Cajun Bass Masters, a 12-member team that competes on a burgeoning national college circuit.
And the heavy-lidded slouch in overalls and a straw hat, lounging beneath a tree at water’s edge watching a cork bob on a slack stretch of water? That’s a Norman Rockwell painting.
These guys coordinate their tournament schedules, secure sponsorships and raise money, to not only keep the team afloat, but competitive.
“You’ve got to spend your summer working for the ability to go fishing during the year,” says Cody McCrary, 26, a junior biology major from Baton Rouge who founded the team.
For many tournaments, anglers are responsible for providing their own boats. Money for equipment, gear and tackle almost always comes out of their pockets. They are also responsible for expenses like lodging, meals and fuel.
“When we travel, we might have to go to Arkansas or West Texas,” McCrary says. “Then there’s gas in the boat, the hotel room. You can’t just go for the day of the tournament. You’ll never win. You’ve got to go and try to find patterns, like the other teams, that will give you enough fish to win. And that’s usually a two- or three-day scouting deal.”
The bottom line: college fishing might be fun but it isn’t cheap. How much a five-day tournament will dent a budget “depends on how frugal you are, really,” says McCrary, who is the team’s president. “The bare minimum’s going to be about $1,200. And if you want to stay in a hotel, and actually eat fairly well, you’re in the $1,500 range. And that’s being pretty conservative.” He pauses a moment.
“In the event of boat, engine or equipment problems, costs will go up considerably,” adds McCrary.
Welcome to the world of varsity bass fishing.
According to USA Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing club sports in the nation. It isn’t, however, sanctioned by the NCAA.
College fishing teams compete on national collegiate circuits organized by FLW Outdoors or Bassmaster, the two major players in professional bass fishing. There are also independent events coordinated by the Association of Collegiate Anglers. Some schools focus on one series only. Others, like UL Lafayette, compete in tournaments sponsored by all three.
Tournament formats vary, but in most cases, anglers are paired two per boat. Some tournaments allow multiple entries from an individual school, while others limit the number. “We try to field the team that we think gives us the best opportunity to win,” McCrary says of the latter option.
UL Lafayette anglers have landed several Top 10 finishes in competition against some of the biggest schools in the country.
The winning ways started not long after the club was formed in 2007.
After testing the waters in a string of smaller events, McCrary and Neil Arnaud, the team’s vice president, placed second in the first large-scale tournament UL Lafayette participated in, the inaugural National Guard FLW College Fishing Texas Division Tournament on Falcon Lake in 2009.
In the process, the pair bested teams from schools such as LSU and the University of Texas.
“We’ve shown that we can hang, regardless of who it’s against,” McCrary says.
For the effort, McCrary and Arnaud each claimed $2,500 in scholarship funds, which is the standard method for rewarding top finishes at many tournaments.
The best college anglers, however, unlike athletes in other collegiate sports, can earn huge rewards.
In FLW competition, for instance, last year’s national champion won $50,000, a new boat worth $25,000 and another $25,000 in general scholarship funds. The national championship also brought entry into the Forrest Wood Cup, the FLW’s signature professional tournament that awards a $500,000 first-place prize.
The sport has experienced explosive growth in the last few years.
When FLW launched its college series in 2009, it was with clubs from 90 colleges and universities, said Dave Washburn, the organization’s vice president of operations. That number has ballooned to more than 550 today.
“It’s a great feeder system, for us and for the anglers. There are several who have moved on and are fishing the professional circuit,” Washburn said.
College bass fishing allows students to gain the kind of experience and skills necessary to compete as pros, but without having to forego an education should their shot at glory fall short.
For his part, Arnaud said the networking opportunities he enjoys as a member of the team have increased the odds he might be able to earn a living in the industry.
“I’ve met people from all over the country and established friendships that, one day, could turn out to be business partnerships,” he said.
Recreational fishing is indeed big business, according to the American Sportfishing Association. It generated more than 828,000 jobs and $115 billion in economic output over the course of one year in a recent study.
Most anglers, like Arnaud, 35, a senior business management major from Carencro, compete simply to indulge their love of the sport.
Arnaud, the married father of two daughters, enjoys all types of fishing, from saltwater excursions to plucking sac-a-lait from local ponds on family trips.
Nothing compares to chasing the almighty largemouth bass, he says.
The fish’s notoriously unpredictable behavior makes catching them a never-ending challenge.
But their best selling point might be an aggressive, predatory streak that can flicker on and off like a light bulb. Arnaud has watched bass “skim” across a mat of lily pads in pursuit of baitfish and he has seen them remain motionless as lure after lure is swiped in front of them.
Team members are trying to organize an invitational tournament on the Atchafalaya Basin for the summer or fall. They also hope this year to have the first of what could become an annual UL Lafayette Alumni Tournament.
Both events would bring increased visibility to college bass fishing and the region, and help raise funds for the team.
“We live in the Sportsman’s Paradise. I enjoy being outdoors so much and I want that to continue for my children and my nieces and nephews. I want them to have the opportunity to compete on the University bass team,” he says.