Tusculum College’s Pioneer Fishing Club wins Cabela’s Collegiate Bass Fishing Tournament

The Tusculum College Pioneer Fishing Club traveled to the Kentucky Lake in Paris, Tenn. from March 14 and 15, for the Cabela Collegiate Big Bass Bash and brought home the top prize.

Corban Rood, a junior, business administration major from Knoxville, led the team to victory. Rood and his boat mate Corey Neece, a freshman, environmental science major from Bristol, and their teammates Nick Hatfield, a junior, business administration major from Greeneville, and Justin Reagan, a junior, computer science major for Johnson City, beat more than 200 boats from both Division II and Division I schools in the southeast competition.

Rood’s bass weighed in at 8.58 pounds and was in the number one spot overall on Day 1 and 2 of the competition.

In addition to pleasure outings, this is the club’s second year of competing in collegiate tournaments. This competition is the second out of 10 events that they will be competing in this year.

“We are excited to be participating in competitions now,” said Hatfield. “If we do well enough, we can build up points toward the School of the Year title.”

Members of the fishing club are hoping to build the program to where it would become a club sport competition team. “I have fished all my life and really love it,” said Hatfield. “I wanted to continue on the college level and maybe one day see this club transition into a sports team.”

The club sponsor is Dr. Jason Jones, assistant professor of physical education. Anyone  interested in the club should email nickhatfield.nh@gmail.com.

 

Tusculum College’s Fishing Club took top honors in the Cabela’s Collegiate Bass Fishing tournament. From left are Corey Neas, Justin Reagan, Coban Rood and Nick Hatfield.

 

 

By Corrine Absher, senior digital media major from Kingsport