JEFFERSON, Tenn. – Two LSUS fishing tandems punched their tickets to the Bassmaster College National Championships after finishing near the top of the Bassmaster College Series event at Douglas Lake this past weekend.
Levi Thibodaux/Miles Smith placed 12th and Brother Martin/Luke Batts finished 22nd, advancing to the August national championships by finishing in the top 10 percent of a Bassmaster event, which featured nearly 250 boats.
Thibodaux/Miles totaled 27-9 pounds over the two-day event, while Martin/Batts bagged 25-10 pounds.
Water depth was the biggest challenge for anglers as water levels unexpectedly rose more than two feet between the first and second day of the tournament.
“Rain from earlier in the week affected the water levels, but facilities can usually manage that situation to keep the water levels relatively stable,” said LSUS coach Charles Thompson. “So there were a lot of spots that teams had identified through practice and on the first day of the event, and then the fish were gone from those spots on the second day because of the rising water.
“When that happens, anglers have to use their skills and find opportunities. When things go bad and fish aren’t there, you’ve got to scrap and go hunt the fish. That’s where understanding fish patterns comes into play.”
Thompson added that Thibodaux/Miles were sitting on a “little point” where they caught the majority of their 14-11 bag on the first day, but while rising water affected their spot, the fish still bit well enough to account for a 12-14 total on the second day.
Martin/Batts were consistent with a 13-pound haul on the first day and 12-10 on day two.
“We have a saying within the team that we’ve been using more publicly – GATA (Geaux and Tackle Adversity),” Thompson said. “This tournament is an example of that.
“Those water level changes are unprecedented, making it tough even for anglers that are familiar with the lake. It’s the first time fishing on this lake for us, so I’m super happy with the outcome.”
For the pairs that have their national tournament spots sewed up, Thompson said that does open the door for a few more risks in future tournaments.
“You are a little more comfortable knowing that you’ve qualified for a spot, but it’s not like they’ll start throwing Hail Marys or anything like that,” Thompson said. “When an opportunity presents itself, will they throw a bomb every once in awhile? Yeah.
“But when deciding whether they are going to run all the way up the river to chase a big fish or two, they also have to consider money since we raise all the funds we use. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
LSUS was one of four college teams to put two boats in the top 22, which means the No. 8 Pilots are set to make headway in the national standings, which include colleges of all sizes (no divisions).
The Pilots placed five boats overall in the top 75 as LSUS showcased its depth.
Triston Richard/Mason McCormick (24-3) placed 36th, Tyler Morris/Hunter Hamilton (22-13) finished 63rd and Ian Carter/Bryce Distefano (22-4) came in 74th.
Morris and Hamilton are coming off an event win at the Louisiana Bassmaster College Series on Black Bayou in late February.
Follow the LSUS Fishing team on Facebook for updates and pictures from each tournament.
The Pilots get back on the water April 13-14 at Lake Hartwell (South Carolina).
