Purdue wins National Guard FLW College Fishing event

Fishing tough in Central Division tourney on Bull Shoals Lake

Purdue University proudly displays their first-place check for $10,000. Photo by Brett Carlson. Anglers: Chad Dunham, Alexander Lowe.

March 6, 2010 • MLF • Abu Garcia College Fishing

BRANSON, Mo. – The Purdue University team of Chad Dunham and Alex Lowe won the National Guard FLW College Fishing Central Division event on Bull Shoals Lake Saturday with three bass weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces. The victory earned the team $10,000 to be split evenly between the university and the university’s bass-fishing club.

The win also helped them advance to the Central Division Regional Championship, where they could ultimately win a Ranger 177TR with a 90-horsepower engine wrapped in school colors for their school’s club and $25,000 for the school they represent.

“It was tough, but we just kept chuggin’,” said Dunham. “We started out deep, moved around a little, had some boat trouble, got through that and just kept going.

“I started the day using jerkbaits and Money Minnows in deep water, and nothing was happening, so we moved to the mouth of the cove to try up there – still nothing. Then my partner put on a Wiggle Wart and got a fish. So I decided to try it too and was able to get two more with the Wiggle Wart, and luckily that’s all we needed.”

Only 21 teams weighed in today. However, many were just happy to be fishing on an ice-free lake, including the winning team from Purdue.

“This was my first time on Bull Shoals and my first FLW tournament,” said Lowe. “We are so surprised to be in the first spot with only three bass. We came to the scales just hoping to make the top five, but to actually win – what a thrill.”

Rounding out the top five teams today were Winona State University – Jerry Jonsgaard and Zac Cassill (one bass 4-13, $5,000); Henderson State – Justin Westfall and Michael Jennings (one bass, 4-8, $4,000); Southeast Missouri State – Andrew Pinkley and Jim McDevitt (two bass, 4-7, $3,000); Truman State University – Mike McCarthy, Jr., and Spencer Clark (two bass, 4-6, $2,000).

FLW Outdoors announced the College Fishing trail in May 2008. Full-time students enrolled in four-year colleges or universities are eligible to participate in the events. Schools can send two-person teams to each of the four qualifying events in their division, with each event limited to a maximum of 40 teams. Each team has the opportunity to win $10,000 for first through $2,000 for fifth place. Prize money is split evenly between the winning team’s club and the school they represent. The tournaments are free to enter, boats and drivers are provided by FLW and all collegiate teams receive a travel allowance. The top five teams in each qualifying event advance to one of five televised three-day National Guard FLW College Fishing Regional Championships.

The next National Guard FLW College Fishing Central Division qualifying event will be held at Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach, Mo., March 20.

The top five teams from each regional championship will advance to the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship.

The National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship is a three-day televised event hosting the top five teams from each regional, 25 total teams. Teams will be provided shirts and wrapped Ranger boats towed by Chevy trucks for this competition.

The 2009 National Championship event is being held April 10-12 at Ft. Loudoun and is being hosted by the University of Tennessee. The winning team will be declared the National Guard FLW Collegiate National Champion and will qualify for the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup. The winners will also receive use of a wrapped boat and Chevy truck for Cup competition.

About FLW Outdoors

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world offering anglers worldwide the opportunity to compete for millions over the course of 189 tournaments in 2010. FLW Outdoors has also taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing awarding the largest prizes in the history of fantasy sports. FLW Outdoors memberships are available featuring numerous benefits including Player’s Advantage. For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FantasyFishing.com.