Meet the Wildcats
Chico State teammates Nick Carrico, Anthony Dayton share their thoughts on qualifying for the 2013 FLW College Fishing National Championship
(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.)
Class: Senior
Major: Agricultural Science
Hometown: Oroville, Calif.
Other interests: Hunting, camping, baseball, football, Sprint Car racing and anything that goes fast or provides an adrenaline rush.
Class: Alumnus
Major: Communications & Public Administration
Hometown: Walnut Creek, Calif.
Other interests: My interests include hunting.
Club Web site:
Chico State Bass Team on Facebook
Q&A
CollegeFishing.com: How were you introduced to fishing?
Nick Carrico: I was introduced to fishing by my dad when I was a kid. I didn’t fish for bass at first, but we would go trout fishing in the middle fork of the Feather River on camping trips. He would take my brother and me to local ponds where I, for some reason, would want to use this Rat-L-Trap he got me for Christmas. I’d usually get skunked or maybe catch one on that bait while my brother would crush them on live minnows. But I guess it worked out in the long run. Now, every year, the old man and I go to Alaska to just fish and relax. He’s a pretty great guy if you ask me.
Tony Dayton: My dad took me out trout fishing at all the local lakes close to my house and then I started fishing golf course ponds for bass and a lot of little lakes around the bay area for bass.
CollegeFishing.com: What style/method of fishing are you most comfortable with?
Nick Carrico: Coming from California, you get really comfortable with a spinning rod and reel in your hand with 6-pound fluorocarbon line. But fishing Clear Lake and the California Delta gives you the confidence to throw moving baits and flip to thick reeds and brush as well. And all of that makes for a good, well-rounded fisherman.
Tony Dayton: My favorite ways to fish are with topwater baits and any kind of soft plastics such as Missile baits, Gary Yamamoto Senkos and Robo worms.
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?
Nick Carrico: Qualifying for the National Championship was redemption at its finest. I missed out the year before so it was a good feeling knowing I was going to be competing on the big stage. In preparation for the tournament I think we are going to do as much pre-fishing as possible. But I don’t think it will really sink in until “Tone” and I have our first bucket of fried mayonnaise balls, which I hear is a delicacy in Arkansas.
Tony Dayton: It felt great to know that I was going back and would have another chance to fish in the National Championship again. Last year we didn’t have the chance to go pre-fishing, and I think that if we had a chance to go out and see the lake last year we would have done a lot better. This year, we are going to pre-fish so I will be a lot more confident.
CollegeFishing.com: Tell us something interesting about yourself that most people wouldn’t know.
Nick Carrico: Well since “Tone” already has the (FLW Tour pro Bryan) Thrift look-alike thing going for him, I would say that I am one heck of a chef. No joke I can cook.
Tony Dayton: While most people who are fishing in the National championship probably put fishing as the sport or hobby that they enjoy most, I put hunting first. During duck season in California, I will not pick up a fishing rod unless I’m fishing in a tournament.