Meet the Forty Niners

UNC Charlotte teammates Shane LeHew, Adam Waters share their thoughts on qualifying for the 2013 FLW College Fishing National Championship

The UNC Charlotte team of Shane Lehew and Adam Waters rose to second place after catching a limit on day three weighing 11 pounds, 3 ounces. Photo by Brett Carlson. Angler: Shane Lehew.

April 1, 2013 • Gary Mortenson • Abu Garcia College Fishing

(Editor’s note: Leading up to the 2013 FLW College Fishing National Championship – slated for April 19-21 on Beaver Lake in Rodgers, Ark. – CollegeFishing.com will publish weekly, in-depth features stories of each of the 25 national championship team qualifiers. At stake in the tournament is a first-place prize package that includes $30,000 in cash, a brand new, Ranger Z-117 bass boat and an automatic berth in the 2013 Forrest Wood Cup.)

Name: Shane LeHew (pictured on left)

Class: Senior

Major: Criminal Justice

Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.

Other interests: Fishing, fishing and fishing.

Name: Adam Waters (pictured on right)

Class: Alumnus

Major: Business Management

Hometown: Denver N.C.

Other interests: I played college baseball at USC Upstate and currently work at Allstate Insurance as a claims adjuster.

Club Web site:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2205182440/

Q&A

CollegeFishing.com: How were you introduced to fishing?

Shane LeHew: My father introduced me to fishing when I was very young. I started fishing tournaments when I was around 14 years old and have fished in as many as possible ever since then.

Adam Waters: I was first introduced to competitive bass fishing by Shane LeHew, my partner in the National Championship.

CollegeFishing.com: What style/method of fishing are you most comfortable with?

Shane LeHew: I like shallow water power fishing, skipping docks with a jig and throwing topwater baits most of the time, but I like to think of myself as a versatile angler. I like learning new ways to catch fish.

Adam Waters: Typically I enjoy fishing shallow water with a fast presentation.

CollegeFishing.com: What did it feel like to qualify for the 2013 FLW College Fishing National Championship? How do you plan to prepare for the big event?

Shane LeHew: It feels awesome to be able to fish an event like this and to have a shot to fish in the Forrest Wood Cup. My goal in life is to become a professional angler and this is a great way to get me started towards that goal.

As far as preparation is concerned, I have fished the lake once before as a co-angler on the FLW Tour and finished in the top 10. So, hopefully, some of the past knowledge I have gained will help us this year.

Adam Waters: Qualifying for the 2013 FLW College Fishing National Championship is really a privilege. To have the chance to represent the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on a national stage is a great accomplishment that will create many great memories and hopefully a national championship for the Charlotte area.

CollegeFishing.com: Tell us something interesting about yourself that most people wouldn’t know.

Shane LeHew: I don’t really have anything crazy or interesting as I spend all my time fishing working and going to school right now.

Adam Waters: My lifelong dream was to play college baseball. After I graduated high school, I got the opportunity to join the USC Upstate baseball team where I played for two years. Due to back surgery from a weightlifting incident, I had to end my career in baseball. After the surgery and the end of my baseball career, I began participating in college fishing tournaments and found a new passion that kept my competitive nature high.